2026 United States GP: COTA bumps row grows

BBC Sport, Autosport and Motorsport.com reported driver concerns over COTA bumps before the 2026 United States Grand Prix, with Bobby Epstein responding.

Max Verstappen's criticism of the Circuit of the Americas surface was reported before the 2026 United States Grand Prix. BBC Sport reported that Verstappen called the bumps unacceptable and out of control, while Autosport and Motorsport.com reported that the issue was discussed by drivers in Friday evening's briefing.

Autosport and Motorsport.com also reported that Verstappen stayed behind after that meeting to continue talks with FIA representatives about the track surface. Verstappen arrived in Austin fourth in the 2026 drivers' championship on 221 points, with 242 Formula 1 starts, 71 wins, 51 poles and 129 podiums.

Motorsport.com reported that COTA chairman Bobby Epstein responded and said the dip at the bottom of Turn 1 was not acceptable. With the weekend still in progress and the story unconfirmed beyond those reports, any further action remained unresolved.