Max Verstappen heads to Austin this week on the back of a pair of dominant wins, but the Red Bull charger is already anticipating a painful encounter with the Circuit of The Americas – one that could leave him in need of more than a post-race massage.
The Dutchman has joked that the notoriously uneven Texas track could take such a toll on his body that he might have to order himself “a new spine”. And judging by what he has seen of the circuit’s surface, Verstappen is preparing for a weekend that could feel more like a rodeo than a Formula 1 race.
The four-time world champion arrives in Texas with momentum firmly on his side, having recorded five consecutive top-three finishes, including victories in Bahrain and Singapore.
The RB22 has become a considerably more agreeable proposition in recent races, giving Verstappen renewed reasons to smile after a difficult start to the season.
But confidence in his car does not necessarily translate into confidence in the challenges awaiting him at COTA. With its demanding corners and notorious bumps, Austin presents a fresh test – and Verstappen is in no hurry to declare himself a contender for victory before turning a wheel.
Resurfacing may smooth the road, but not the ride
COTA's 5.5km layout has long been a physical challenge, with its uneven surface unsettling cars through fast corners and making it difficult for drivers to maintain stability.
Organisers have attempted to tame some of the worst offenders for 2026, resurfacing the section between Turns 9 and 11 while smoothing bumps on the approaches to Turns 12 and 19.
Verstappen, however, has already seen enough to suspect that the makeover may not spare him a rough ride. After watching last month’s World Endurance Championship race at the circuit, he delivered a typically colourful assessment of what awaits.
Asked whether his car was now capable of fighting for victory at every venue, Verstappen was careful not to let his recent success fuel unrealistic expectations.
“I mean, it’s very difficult to say and I don’t want to say now that I will be in the fight in Austin,” he said. “But yeah, the last few weekends have been great.
“But I just take it race by race, and once we are in Austin, then we’ll see how it will go there. It’s again a very different track.
“From what I saw in WEC, the track is incredibly bumpy. I’ll probably need to order a new spine, I think, after the weekend. Yeah, I’ll become like Robocop. Yeah, crazy.
“That’s again a new challenge for everyone, to deal with those bumps.”
Enjoying the recovery without chasing the impossible
Verstappen's caution also reflects the broader picture of his 2026 campaign. His recent resurgence has lifted him to fourth in the Drivers' Championship, just eight points behind Lewis Hamilton and 17 adrift of George Russell in second.
Yet with Kimi Antonelli holding a 119-point advantage and only 150 points remaining, a fifth world title is an exceptionally remote prospect.
For now, the priority is enjoying a car that has become far less temperamental. Verstappen traced the improvement back to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, explaining how the change in handling has transformed his experience behind the wheel.
“I mean, I think the car definitely felt a lot nicer from Baku onwards,” he said. “It’s just been a lot more balanced.
“And then naturally, of course, when you can compete a bit further up front without having too many issues with the car compared to the beginning of the year, where it was actually sometimes a bit scary to drive, yeah, that makes it a lot nicer.
Read also: Verstappen hits back at ex-F1 drivers over regulation criticism“And yeah, the way that we turned that around and actually the big progress that we have made this year, yeah, that makes it of course a lot nicer. And when you can add a few wins as well, it’s just nice.
“And we’re not in a championship fight, and that’s why I think till the end, yeah, we just try to have a good time and try to add more podiums and hopefully a few wins.”
Verstappen appears ready to take whatever the circuit throws at him. His only reservation is whether he'll still be walking comfortably when the weekend is over.
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