‘I Don’t Think It’s F1 Level’

• The bumpy nature of the Circuit of the Americas track has always been a talking point among drivers, and their voices are getting louder.
• The bumpy nature of the track also contributed to the disqualifications of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc after the plank wear on their respective cars was above the permitted level.
• COTA has a contract to host the U.S. Grand Prix through 2026.

United States Grand Prix venue the Circuit of the Americas is a favorite of the drivers but they believe its flaws need addressing to make it more suitable for Formula 1.

The bumpy nature of the track has always been a talking point, with COTA having undertaken repaving and grinding in recent years to try and alleviate the problem.

Organizers at COTA are also compromised by the soft clay-like soil that is prevalent in the area while the track also sits in a flood plain.

The bumpy nature of the track also contributed to the disqualifications of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc after the plank wear on their respective cars was above the permitted level.

World Champion Max Verstappen has now won the last three Grands Prix at COTA, and he led the calls for changes.

“It needs to be redone because at the moment it feels like it’s better suited to a rally car,” said Verstappen. “Like I’m jumping and bouncing around. In an F1 car probably you don’t even see it as much because of course we are glued to the ground because of the downforce but the bumps and jumps that we have in some places, this is way too much. I don’t think it’s F1 level. I love this track.

“Honestly, the layout is amazing but we definitely need new tarmac and it needs to be a lot smoother for the coming years because we already asking for this for I think quite a few years, and it’s not really been done.”

Hamilton, speaking before the news of his disqualification from the race, agreed with the reigning champion.

“I like some of some of the bumps because it adds character to a circuit, but there’s way too many,” said Hamilton. “As drivers in the GPDA [Grand Prix Drivers’ Association] we are open to discussing with them and helping them, like maybe not doing the whole thing so it costs a fortune. From the last corner to the start line, for example, that’s smooth but then the rest of it might not be. The pit lane is smooth but there are other areas that for sure they could patch up and improve.”

McLaren driver Lando Norris backed up the comments of Verstappen and Hamilton, and also added his own advice.

“It would be helpful if they didn’t put tarmac in a braking zone as well,” said Norris. “They’ve resurfaced some places and they start the tarmac at the 100-metre board into Turn 12, which is where we brake. So just little things they could do. From what I heard they’re resurfacing the first sector or something next year, so we’ll hope it’s a little bit better.”

COTA has a contract to host the U.S. Grand Prix through 2026.

Elsewhere on the championship’s schedule organizers of the Canadian Grand Prix have undertaken a full resurfacing of the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in order to ready the new tarmac for the 2024 event next June.