Key Highlights:
- Max Verstappen arrives at the Circuit of the Americas after consecutive victories at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia and the Singapore Grand Prix.
- The Red Bull driver sits fourth in the 2026 Formula 1 standings, eight points behind Lewis Hamilton and 17 behind George Russell, with six rounds remaining.
- Verstappen is focused on the bumps at COTA and the high-altitude, hot conditions in Mexico, where engine performance and car behavior must be assessed.
Verstappen Brings Winning Form to Austin
Four-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen, driving for Red Bull Racing, has warned that the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) is “incredibly bumpy” ahead of this weekend’s United States Grand Prix in Austin. The Red Bull driver joked that he may need to “order a new spine” afterwards.
Verstappen heads to Austin with momentum from two consecutive victories at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia and the Singapore Grand Prix. Despite that run, he tempered expectations for the race while speaking at the Singapore Grand Prix post-race press conference.
“I mean, it’s very difficult to say. I don’t want to say now that I will be in the fight in Austin, 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. But it’s again a very different track.”
COTA’s Bumps and Mexico’s Altitude Test
The World Endurance Championship’s visit to COTA left Verstappen concerned about the circuit’s track surface. His reaction to the bumps was characteristically humorous, but it also highlighted a new challenge facing every driver in Austin.
Verstappen joked:
“From what I saw in WEC, the track is incredibly bumpy. Oh my god, I probably need to order a new spine after the weekend or become like Robocop. Crazy,”
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He then turned to the next race in Mexico, where the altitude and expected heat create a different set of technical demands for Red Bull.
“That’s again a new challenge for everyone, you know, to deal with those bumps. And then we just go from there. We have to go to Mexico, again, high altitude, everything will run super hot.
“We need to see how the engine is going to perform at that altitude, how the car is behaving, because it’s very different. So, you know, there are so many different things that you can get right or wrong in those races, but we’ll see.”
Verstappen Closes In on Hamilton and Russell
With six rounds remaining in the 2026 Formula 1 season, Verstappen currently sits fourth in the drivers’ standings. He collected 58 points across the last two race weekends, including a sprint race, closing the gap to third-placed Lewis Hamilton to eight points and second-placed George Russell to 17.
The six-round count assumes that the final two races, in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, continue as planned. Verstappen’s cautious assessment of Austin therefore comes despite a substantial improvement in his championship position and a run of consecutive victories.
Why This Matters
Verstappen’s position has brought Hamilton and Russell back into immediate range, but the challenges he described go beyond the result at COTA. The bumps he observed during the WEC event are the immediate concern in Austin, while Mexico introduces high altitude, hot conditions and questions over engine performance and car behavior in a markedly different environment.
His 58 points over the last two race weekends have already changed the margins around him. The remaining schedule also includes Mexico and, if the plan holds, the final races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. With Hamilton eight points ahead and Russell 17 points ahead, Verstappen’s next results could alter the order as Red Bull confronts sharply contrasting circuit conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Max Verstappen sit in the 2026 Formula 1 standings?
Verstappen is fourth. He is eight points behind third-placed Lewis Hamilton and 17 points behind second-placed George Russell, with six rounds remaining.
What recent results has Verstappen delivered?
He arrived in Austin after consecutive victories at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia and the Singapore Grand Prix. Across the last two race weekends, including a sprint race, Verstappen collected 58 points.
Are all six remaining Formula 1 races confirmed?
The six-round figure is conditional. The count assumes that the final two races, in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, continue as planned.
