Lando Norris and Max Verstappen noted the damage driving a Formula One car is doing to their spines as the Dutchman labelled the bumps at the Circuit of the Americas as “unacceptable”.
The Formula One circus has arrived in Austin for this weekend’s United States Grand Prix at one of the most popular tracks on the calendar.
But Verstappen, who stressed how much he enjoys the race, hit out at the track surface and says F1 drivers should not accept racing on tracks that are so bumpy.
“For me the bumps are unacceptable,” Verstappen said.
“(To fix it) means you need to really fully open up the track. That costs a lot of money and time but that’s the only way to get rid of it because these bumps are not natural and they are out of control.”
Norris noted that the requirements for a new circuit are stricter than for an existing track such as COTA, on the outskirts of Austin.
Verstappen added that from examinations of his spine, he can see the damage being done as a result of racing and suggested modern F1 cars are exacerbating the problem.
“I can tell you from the checks that I’ve done on my spine, the bottom end doesn’t look that great,” he said.
“I know that’s part of racing. I know that can be part of sport, but it’s also further damage from the cars that we had the last few years.”
Norris, 26, believes the physical demands of racing an F1 car are underestimated.
He also says he can see that his back is suffering and highlighted how impressive the longevity of Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, who are still racing in their 40s, is.
“It’s hard to know how much of it is just because of racing and things like that, and how much it’s just how you are as a person and a human,” Norris said.
“I guess if you’ve done enough tests over the years, you can see the evolution of things and how things are changing, and maybe the reasons why. But yeah, my back is certainly far from a perfect back, I know that already.
“But I won’t be here that much… I’m not going to be here forever. But I’m aware of the challenges it has on your body.
“I think that’s also why it’s impressive to see Lewis and Fernando going strong for so long. It’s not just, can you drive a car quick?
“People don’t realise how physical it is to drive the cars every single weekend, and the toll it has on your body physically. I think that’s also what’s so impressive about them being able to continue to perform at the level that they do.”
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