“I’m Getting Pills”: Max Verstappen Admits To Taking Painkillers as United States GP Takes Physical Toll

Max Verstappen has revealed that he has been taking painkillers to combat the toll the bumpy US Grand Prix track has taken on him. The Dutchman explained that he even lifts himself out of his seat at Turns 1 and 19 to try and reduce the suffering at the Circuit of the Americas.

“They [the bumps] are really bad. Before Turn 1 and Turn 19, I lift myself out of the seat before I get there. Otherwise, it’s just not doable,” said Verstappen [via Viaplay].

“I’m getting pills. We’re trying to manage it a bit,” he added.

Verstappen is not in for a great triple-header from this point of view, as the Mexican and Brazilian Grands Prix follow the US Grand Prix, hosted by tracks which are known as some of the bumpiest on the current calendar. This follows the Singapore GP, which also took place on a bumpy street track.

Max Verstappen Shares Worrying Detail About His Physical Health

Verstappen has also revealed that he has struggled with spinal issues in recent times. The Red Bull driver shared that he learned about issues with his back after developing pain in his feet.

“At one point, I had a few scans done because my feet had been bothering me quite a bit over the past few years. That’s when things came to light. You can see it in certain discs at the bottom [of my spine], there’s nothing left there,” said Verstappen.

“It’s just grey. Those are things people don’t often think about,” he added.

Verstappen also said that he had always seen other sportspersons who suffered from long-term injuries and felt grateful that he wasn’t one of those. The four-time world champion added that this did not use to be a consideration in F1 until more recently.

Max Verstappen Called The US Grand Prix Track “Unacceptable”

Before the start of the US Grand Prix weekend, Verstappen had labeled the Austin-based COTA track as “unacceptable” due to the bumpy surface. The 29-year-old explained that he loves the track but does not appreciate the poor surface featuring unnatural bumps.

“I love this track, I love this place. It’s one of the best layouts ever and it’s one of the best venues, best city to be at. But for me the bumps are unacceptable,” said Verstappen [via BBC].

“Over time they’ve been grinding a little bit here and there but it’s just putting a plaster on the big problem. But that of course 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,” he added.

Verstappen revealed that he also struggled with the bumpy surface at COTA during the 2025 US Grand Prix, a race which he won. Reigning world champion Lando Norris agreed with Verstappen’s assessment of the track, saying that he has also been taking medication for headaches induced by the bumpy track.

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