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Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton opposes Max Verstappen after vocal F1 critcism

Max Verstappen has voiced his concern over the bumps at the Circuit of the Americas, but Lewis Hamilton does not share the same point of view.

Hamilton Verstappen
Article
To news overview © XPB Images

Lewis Hamilton has stated he enjoys the bumps around the Circuit of the Americas, highlighting that they add "character" to the track.

The host track of the United States Grand Prix has long been known to be a challenge for the drivers due to its bumpy surface.

This weekend, Verstappen has been particularly vocal about the strain that the bumps have placed on him.

The four-time champion revealed that he had scans done on his back, which revealed damage to his spinal discs from the bumpy surface.

But Hamilton has stated that he is a fan of the uncertainty they pose for the driver trying to put together a strong lap.

"I personally like the bumps, it adds character to the track," Hamilton told media including RacingNews365.

"I love the challenge of that because you know the car is moving and you have to correct it.

"In a perfect world, it would be a flat track, but then there would be a lack of character. That's what gives this track that little bit more.

"It's already a great layout. The bumps give it a bit more.

"Turn 1 is not a problem for us at all. Turn 19 and Turn 9 are a little bit bumpy, but everyone is in the same boat.

"People are complaining, but I'm 42 and my back is fine."

[Article continues below]

Hamilton perplexed by qualifying struggle

Hamilton entered the qualifying session at COTA on Saturday hoping to fight for pole position after setting the fastest lap time in FP3 earlier in the day.

However, Ferrari's form slipped away as qualifying progressed, with Hamilton only able to muster sixth on the grid.

The seven-time champion admitted he was at a loss to explain what went wrong.

"I haven't looked at the data," Hamilton said.

"Through the weekend, we looked at the straight. Up to Turn 1, when we cut power, they [Red Bull] just keep pulling.

"That's similar in other places, like going into Turn 11. I think it might be similar into 12, but then the rest of the lap, you see it on the overlay.

"But I don't know what happened. My car felt pretty good. The lap was solid. They were just quicker."

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RESULTS 2026 F1 United States Grand Prix - Austin Qualifying