New anti-Verstappen curbs added to COTA

Max Verstappen

The Circuit of the Americas has had a new kerb installed on the inside of the Turn 16/17 complex in an attempt to prevent corner cutting.

Right at the end of last year’s race, Max Verstappen made the most of the inside of that corner sequence in order to steal P3 away from Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen. The move was investigated, with Verstappen then being handed a time penalty that meant Raikkonen finished in P3. The Dutch driver had to be taken aside in the cooldown room in order to be told of his penalty and demotion from the podium.

To ensure that this possibility can’t happen again, a new high kerb has been installed on the inner perimeter of the corner and is 5 centimeters in height to discourage drivers from riding it.

Similarly, bumps have been added to the exit of Turn 1, to prevent drivers from running too wide as they leave the corner. These bumps were already in situ at Turns 11, 15 & 19