Lewis Hamilton agrees with Max Verstappen and calls COTA a ‘non F1-level’ track

Lewis Hamilton was disqualified in Austin because of excessive plank ware on his W14.

Lewis Hamilton agrees with Max Verstappen and calls COTA a ‘non F1-level’ track

Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton (Via IMAGO)

Max Verstappen, the reigning F1 world champion, very recently deemed the Circuit of the Americas a non-F1 level track. While the pundits have said a lot since Verstappen’s comments, Lewis Hamilton has also admitted that his fellow F1 driver is on point in his assessment.

The United States Grand Prix weekend saw several drivers complaining about the bumpy nature of the Austin circuit. None of the drivers were completely at ease during the three-day event, and Max Verstappen, after the main race, said:

 It needs to be redone because, at the moment, it feels like it is better suited to a rally car. I don't think it's F1 level.

While the Dutchman’s harsh comments have made immense noise in the F1 world, Lewis Hamilton has also agreed with him, and it’s quite clear that COTA has a lot of work on its hands ahead of 2024’s Grand Prix event, as they want some serious changes made to the track.

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Hamilton said, as reported by Raingnews365:

 I agree with Max. I like some of the bumps because it adds character to the circuit, but there are way too many. We as drivers and the GPDA, we are open to discussing with them and maybe helping them not do the whole thing so it costs a fortune. From the last corner to the start line, for example, that's smooth, then the rest is bumpy. The other areas, we could patch up and improve.

Lewis Hamilton has got a bit of catching up to do with Sergio Perez

While Lewis Hamilton has made it known that COTA needs significant work ahead of next year’s event, he himself had an outing to forget because of unusual reasons. Hamilton ran a terrific 56-lap race that helped him end his exploits in a brilliant second-place finish behind Max Verstappen.

Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton (Credits: Planet F1)
Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton (Credits: Planet F1)

However, what happened afterward, courtesy of the FIA, was not expected by anyone. Because of excessive plankware on his W14, he was disqualified from the race. Had he not been disqualified, he would have scored a massive 18 points, which would have helped him close the gap to Sergio Perez in the 2023 Drivers Championship.

With only four races remaining, the pressure is now at an all-time high on Lewis Hamilton if he is to get the better of Perez by the end of the ongoing campaign. The remaining four races of the 2023 F1 season will be a fascinating watch from the point of view of the former 7-time world champion.

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