Max Verstappen reveals lower spine damage after years of Formula One racing
Four-time Formula One world champion Max Verstappen said on 25 October 2026 that medical examinations had revealed damage to the lower part of his spine after years of competing, speaking ahead of the United States Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin. He raised the issue as drivers were increasingly vocal about the circuit's bumpy surface.
The Red Bull driver described how the forces produced by modern F1 cars, especially when they strike uneven sections of track, can put enormous stress on the body. "Last year, for example, you pull around 5–6G in a corner. But I had some impacts, like vertical loads, which were over 9G on my spine, which I can tell you is really not fun," Verstappen said. He added that the impact of those loads becomes harder to ignore with age and said, "I can tell you from the checks I've had on my spine, the bottom end doesn't look that great."
Verstappen pointed to the way cars can hit the surface particularly hard under braking, when changes in aerodynamic load and ride height increase vulnerability to severe impacts over uneven panels. The Circuit of the Americas was singled out for its challenging surface, with bumps proving difficult for drivers to avoid in several braking zones.
He said the problem was not merely ordinary wear and tear, citing movement in the soil beneath the circuit as a factor that makes some irregularities hard to predict. Verstappen expressed appreciation for the Austin venue and its layout but argued that the condition of the track needed a deeper solution, warning that cosmetic repairs would not suffice if the underlying ground was responsible and that a proper fix could require substantial time and money.
Verstappen’s remarks were placed in the context of broader debate within F1 over the physical demands imposed by recent car designs: the introduction of ground-effect regulations in 2022 led teams to run cars close to the ground, often with stiff suspension settings, and the resulting bouncing, known as porpoising, prompted driver complaints and intervention from the FIA. Although the sport introduced a new set of technical regulations in 2026, Verstappen 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 we've had over the last few years," he said.
Other drivers have voiced similar concerns at Austin: McLaren's Lando Norris said the bumps can cause headaches and force drivers' heads against their headrests, while Mercedes driver George Russell called for more consistent track surfaces. Verstappen warned that normalising such conditions risked greater long-term consequences for competitors.
Verstappen’s medical findings have underlined the personal cost he says has accumulated from years in the sport and have strengthened his argument that driver safety should remain a priority as Formula One continues to evolve.