Austin circuit to add new kerbs following Verstappen controversy

The Circuit of the Americas track, host of the US GP has announced that it will be adding new kerbs, after Max Verstappen’s controversial corner cutting penalty last season.

Verstappen was handed a five second penalty for cutting turn 17 whilst passing Kimi Raikkonen on the final lap.

The penalty denied Verstappen a podium finish, with Raikkonen reinstated in third after the race.

It would have been a memorable podium for the Dutchman, having started 16th on the grid.

Numerous F1 fans and personalities disagreed with the decision to penalise Verstappen, with Red Bull team boss calling the decision “appalling”.

Formula One’s race director Charlie Whiting has said: “I think everywhere that we go now, we really are getting much closer to eliminating everything.

“COTA for example, needless to say there will be some low kerbs in the area where Max went off and they’ll be a couple of those bumpy kerbs like we have on the exit of the last corner and the exit of the first corner.

“But you are learning all the time. It’s a bit like squeezing a balloon, if you squeeze it at this end, a bit pops up there, if you squeeze there a bit pops out somewhere else.

“That’s what’s happening but I think we are very close to being at a point where we are not concerned about a driver gaining time by going off.”