Verstappen warns of back problems caused by bumps in Austin
The Dutch Formula 1 driver says the state of the circuit goes beyond temporary discomfort for drivers.
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Max Verstappen has again criticised the bumps at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin. He says medical checks on his lower back are cause for concern, but no independent medical assessment of his condition has been made public.
Verstappen made his comments ahead of the United States Grand Prix, whose first free practice sessions take place on Friday. The Texas circuit has long been known for uneven asphalt, which places heavy demands on cars and drivers at high speed.
According to reporting by Speedcafe, Verstappen said vertical impacts on the circuit can feel much more severe than the forces drivers normally experience in corners. He referred to loads of more than 9G in some impacts, compared with around 5 to 6G in a fast corner.
The driver also said that, according to medical checks, the bottom of his spine does not look good. In doing so, he described his personal concern, not a publicly established diagnosis. It is not known what examinations were carried out, by which doctors or what the precise medical consequences are.
Verstappen linked his concerns to the state of the circuit during an earlier World Endurance Championship race. According to him, the bumps were still problematic then, despite work on the track. His comments raise questions about how the circuit operator and the international motorsport organisation assess the bumps.
Formula 1 races in Austin from Friday to Sunday. The official calendar lists two free practice sessions on Friday, a third practice session and qualifying on Saturday, and the race on Sunday. The sporting result is not yet known.
Circuit bumps are not merely a matter of comfort. They can affect control of the car, its set-up and the physical strain during a race. At the same time, one driver's statement cannot establish that all participants suffer medical harm or that the track is unsafe under formal safety standards.
The FIA and the circuit organisation have not published a new independent medical assessment of Verstappen in the sources consulted. His comments are therefore news about a safety debate and personal concern, not evidence of an established injury. Whether the track conditions lead to complaints again remains to be seen.
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Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The statements and the race schedule can be found in public sports sources. The text clearly distinguishes between Verstappen's personal account and an independent medical or safety finding.
- confirmed Verstappen expressed concern about the bumps in Austin on 23 October. — Speedcafe published this on 23 October 2026. source
- confirmed Verstappen referred to more than 9G in vertical impacts and 5 to 6G in corners. — The figures are attributed to Verstappen by Speedcafe. source
- confirmed The United States Grand Prix takes place from 23 to 25 October 2026. — The official Formula 1 calendar lists the schedule. source
- uncertain Verstappen has an established back injury. — No independent diagnosis or medical report has been made public; the text does not claim this. source
Editor's note
It is certain that Verstappen publicly expressed concern about the bumps in Austin and referred to his own medical checks. No diagnosis or formal safety assessment is available; medical consequences have therefore not been presented as established.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
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