Manifold

From what I've read, the pavement section at COTA is thick and robust (as expected for an F1 track).

Assuming no surface pavement damage, that leaves uneven settlement of the ground 'subgrade' under the pavement as the likely reason for the bumpiness.

The subgrade should have been verified to be of sufficient strength and quality during design, with any ground improvements being made as needed (there are many ways to do that). It's possible that wasn't done properly, but it's certainly also possible that unanticipated flooding caused problems with the subgrade.

Hopefully, they can do surface paving to smooth out the bumps to take care of the problem for a while. Fixing a fundamental problem with the subgrade would likely be much more costly.

TXE36

I've lived in the state nearly twenty years and the rain/flooding in the the last three have dwarfed all the other years combined. Last year, the Brazos and several other TX rivers went over 100 year flood levels. Huge change in climate for Globul Warmists who's think history started the day they were born, but in terms of TX and Mother Earth, same old stuff.

I don't recall any real bumps at COTA until after Lake Travis stopped looking like an old quarry and started looking like a lake again. Plus, differential settlement in TX means it's not a matter of if your house will need a foundation repair, but when during its lifetime.

-MIke

multi21

The commentators for the MotoGP race this past weekend indicated the flooding over the past few years had changed the composition of the base underneath the track. When combined with the sticky tires and high downforce aero of the F1 cars, it actually changed the braking zones and apexes by "pulling" the top layer of the asphalt over and over again. Some other newer tracks that host F1 races also have this bumpy nature in the braking zones.

Manifold

This seems to refer to two different processes.

High lateral forces from braking and cornering can shear the pavement sideways. Race tracks typically have special pavement mixes to resist these high shear forces.

The typical effect of flooding would not be to change the composition of pavement layers or the subgrade beneath the pavement, but rather to promote settlement of the subgrade, which would cause bumpiness if the settlement is uneven from one place to another.

txhokie4life

It wasn't that long ago....

Plavan

I'll be there racing Memorial Day weekend with 15 or so NP01's. I was there 3.5 years ago in the Porsche and it was sooooo smooth then. I guess I'll be having some fun in the NP01 as I just went to stiffer springs.

Texas RS

I am at COTA on a regular basis and there are some bumps that have developed, but it is very limited. It adds some character to the track. Prior to these bumps developing it was the smoothest track I had been on, post re-pave Watkins Glen is now smoother and faster.

ProCoach

Agreed.

laranja

The paddock parking lot tells you a lot
about the underlying geology. It has moguls.

Makes the smoothness of the track even
more impressive.

Texas RS

....the entry road was as smooth as a table top for the first two years, now it has built in speed bumps, so you better have everything secured in your trailer before you depart.

TXE36

^^^^ Yes, yes it does. There is a Duesy on the way out near one of the underpasses. Will test your tongue weight, car straps, and anything not secure in the trailer or tow vehicle.

-Mike