Max Verstappen Girlfriend
In the high-stakes world of Formula One, few relationships capture the imagination quite like that of Max Verstappen and his girlfriend Kelly Piquet. A power couple deeply rooted in motorsport royalty, their love story is as compelling as the racing circuits they call home. Kelly Piquet, a 36-year-old Brazilian model and daughter of three-time F1 World Champion Nelson Piquet (featured in Ayrton Senna’s Netflix TV series), has found her match in 27-year-old Max Verstappen, the four-time Formula One World Champion who has dominated the racing world.
Their relationship, which began quietly in 2020 and went public in 2021, is more than just a romance—it’s a testament to the interconnected world of international motorsport. With a shared passion for racing and a connection that transcends their nine-year age difference, Max Verstappen and his girlfriend Kelly Piquet have become one of Formula One’s most talked-about couples. As they prepare to welcome their first child together in 2025, their story continues to evolve, promising excitement both on and off the racetrack.
Kelly Piquet
Kelly Piquet, born on December 7, 1988, in Homburg, Germany, is the girlfriend of Formula One champion Max Verstappen. The couple has been together since 2020, forming a prominent power couple in the world of Formula One.
Kelly is a Brazilian model, columnist, blogger, and public relations professional[9]. She comes from a racing family, as her father is Nelson Piquet, a three-time Formula One World Champion, and her mother is Sylvia Tamsma, a Dutch model.
Early Life and Education
Kelly had a cosmopolitan upbringing, living in various countries:
- Spent most of her childhood in the South of France
- Moved to Brazil at age 12 for three years
- Attended boarding school in England
- Completed her senior year of high school in Brazil
- Studied International Relations at Marymount Manhattan College in New York City.
Career
Kelly’s professional life has been diverse:
- Worked as a stylist assistant at Vogue Latin America
- Held positions at Bergdorf Goodman and KCD PR agency
- Wrote a column for Marie Claire magazine
- Modeled for brands like PatBO and Lucas Boccalão
- Currently works as a health and wellness coach in Monaco.
Personal Life
Kelly has six siblings, all involved in car racing to some degree. Before her relationship with Max Verstappen, she dated Russian race driver Daniil Kvyat, with whom she has a daughter, Penelope, born in July 2019.
In December 2024, Kelly and Max Verstappen announced that they are expecting their first child together. While they are not yet married, Verstappen has hinted that a wedding might be in their near future.
Kelly’s connection to the world of Formula One, both through her family background and her relationship with Verstappen, has made her a recognizable figure in the F1 paddock.
On December 6, Kelly and Max announced, they were expecting their first child together.
Max Verstappen Short Bio
Max Emilian Verstappen was born on September 30, 1997, in Hasselt, Belgium, to Jos Verstappen and Sophie Kumpen. His parents divorced when he was young, resulting in Max living with his father while his younger sister Victoria remained with their mother. Max has three additional half-siblings from his father’s subsequent marriages.
Family
The Verstappen family possesses a profound connection to motorsports. Max’s father Jos was a former Formula One driver, his mother Sophie competed in karting, and his cousin Anthony Kumpen was an accomplished endurance and NASCAR racing driver. This rich racing lineage significantly influenced Max’s early passion and career trajectory.
Early Education and Racing Commitment
Initially enrolled in a school in Maaseik, Max transitioned to private tutoring to accommodate his racing ambitions. He frequently left classes early to accompany his father to races across Europe, demonstrating his unwavering dedication to motorsports from a young age.
Karting Career: The Foundation
Max’s racing journey began at an incredibly young age:
- Started karting at four years old
- Began competing in championships at seven
- Dominated national karting championships from 2005 to 2009
- Competed in Belgian and Dutch karting circuits
International Karting Success
Between 2010 and 2013, Verstappen emerged as a karting prodigy:
- Entered international karting scene in 2010
- Achieved second place at KF3 World Cup
- Competed against future Formula One drivers
- Won multiple championships
2013 marked a pivotal moment in Verstappen’s early career. At just 15 years old, he accomplished an extraordinary feat by winning three CIK-FIA championships in a single season, including two European Championships and a World Championship.
Transition to Single-Seater Racing
Verstappen’s progression to car racing began in late 2013:
- Tested Formula Renault and Formula 3 cars
- Debuted in Florida Winter Series in 2014
- Won two races in his debut series
- Competed in FIA Formula 3 European Championship
- Secured 10 victories
- Became the youngest race winner and pole-sitter in Formula 3 history
Formula One
- At 17 years and 3 days old, he became the youngest person to participate in a Formula One race weekend during practice for the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix.
- He joined the Red Bull Junior Team in August 2014 after testing a Formula Renault 3.5 car.
- At the 2015 Australian Grand Prix, Verstappen became the youngest driver to start a World Championship race at 17 years and 166 days old.
- He scored his first Formula One points at the 2015 Malaysian Grand Prix, becoming the youngest driver to do so at 17 years and 180 days old.
Toro Rosso
- Regularly finished in points-scoring positions
- Achieved his best 2015 season finish (4th) in Hungary and the United States
- Won three FIA awards at the end of 2015: “Rookie of the Year,” “Personality of the Year,” and “Action of the Year”
The 2016 season saw Verstappen continue with Toro Rosso, finishing sixth in Bahrain and scoring the team’s first points at the Sakhir circuit. However, his time with Toro Rosso was marked by both promising performances and occasional incidents, including a high-speed collision in Monaco and frustrations with his teammate in Australia.
Max Verstappen’s career with Red Bull Racing began in dramatic fashion in 2016, marking a significant turning point in his Formula One journey. Here are the key highlights:
Red Bull Racing
- On May 5, 2016, Red Bull announced Verstappen would replace Daniil Kvyat from the Spanish Grand Prix onwards.
- Team Principal Christian Horner praised Verstappen’s talent and performance at Toro Rosso.
- Verstappen qualified fourth for his first race with Red Bull.
- He rose to second place after a collision between the Mercedes drivers.
- Using a two-stop strategy, Verstappen took the lead and held off Kimi Räikkönen to claim his first Formula One victory.
- At 18 years and 228 days, he became the youngest driver ever to win a Formula One Grand Prix.
Impressive Brazilian Grand Prix Performance
- In a rain-affected race, Verstappen recovered from 16th place with 15 laps remaining to finish third.
- His performance earned high praise, with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff calling it “The Verstappen Show” and saying Verstappen was “redefining physics.”
- However, Sebastian Vettel criticized Verstappen for pushing him off the track, though race stewards took no action.
Max Verstappen’s 2019-2020 seasons with Red Bull Racing marked a period of significant growth and dominance over his teammates. Here’s a summary of his performance during these years:
2019 Season
- Red Bull switched to Honda power units
- Verstappen achieved his first Honda-powered podium in Australia
- Secured his first pole position in Hungary
- Won three races: Austria, Germany, and Brazil
- Finished third in the championship with 278 points
- Outperformed teammates Pierre Gasly and Alexander Albon
2020 Season
- Continued with Red Bull, partnered with Alexander Albon
- Faced early setbacks, including a retirement in the season opener
- Won two races: 70th Anniversary Grand Prix at Silverstone and Abu Dhabi
- Consistently challenged the dominant Mercedes cars
- Finished third in the championship again with 214 points
- Demonstrated improved consistency with eleven podium finishes.
2021 Season
- Engaged in an intense title fight with Lewis Hamilton throughout the season
- Won his first World Drivers’ Championship in dramatic fashion at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
- Secured victories in France and Austria, leading to a strong mid-season performance
- Experienced a major setback at the British Grand Prix after a collision with Hamilton
- Entered the final race level on points with Hamilton, setting up a winner-takes-all scenario
- Clinched the championship on the final lap of the last race in Abu Dhabi
- Finished with 395.5 points, narrowly beating Hamilton’s 387.5 points
2022 Season
- Demonstrated overwhelming superiority throughout the season
- Secured his second consecutive World Drivers’ Championship well before the season’s end
- Won 15 races, setting a new record for most victories in a single F1 season
- Clinched the championship at the Japanese Grand Prix, with several races still remaining
- Showed exceptional overtaking skills and race management
- Consistently outperformed competitors across various circuits and conditions
- Capped off the season with a victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
- Finished the year with a significant points lead over his closest rivals
2023 Season
- Secured third consecutive World Drivers’ Championship
- Achieved unprecedented dominance in Formula 1 racing
- Broke multiple individual and team records
- Won pole and race in Bahrain Grand Prix
- Overcame early challenges with consistent top performances
- Demonstrated exceptional racing skills across different circuits
- Won 10 consecutive races
- Broke Sebastian Vettel’s previous record of 9 consecutive wins
- Achieved first-ever perfect European season in Formula 1 history
- Won 19 races in total (breaking his own 2022 record of 15).
- Scored 575 championship points
- Points total more than double his teammate Sergio Pérez’s score
- Clinched third World Championship at Qatar Grand Prix sprint
- Matched Michael Schumacher’s record for earliest championship victory
- Maintained dominance even after brief interruption at Singapore Grand Prix
- Won from various starting positions (9th, 6th, pole)
- Demonstrated adaptability in different racing conditions
- Consistently outperformed competitors across multiple circuits
- Established himself as one of Formula 1’s most dominant drivers
- Solidified Red Bull Racing’s supremacy in the 2023 season
- Set new benchmarks for performance and consistency in motorsport
2024 Season
Max Verstappen’s 2024 Formula One season was a tale of two halves, marked by early dominance and later struggles. Despite the challenges, he secured his fourth consecutive World Drivers’ Championship.
- Started with a grand slam at the Bahrain Grand Prix
- Won seven of the first ten races
- Achieved his 100th Formula One podium in Saudi Arabia
- Experienced his first retirement since 2022 at the Australian Grand Prix
- Faced increasing competition from McLaren, particularly Lando Norris
- Red Bull’s RB20 car began showing weaknesses in low-speed corners
- Won the São Paulo Grand Prix from 17th on the grid in challenging wet conditions
- Matched Ayrton Senna’s record of eight consecutive poles at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
- Secured his 60th race win at the Canadian Grand Prix
- Faced stiff competition from Lando Norris throughout the season
- Championship lead fluctuated, dropping to 47 points after the Mexico City Grand Prix
- Clinched his fourth world title at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, with two races remaining
- Red Bull lost the Constructors’ Championship lead to McLaren mid-season
- Verstappen publicly criticized the team’s strategy and car performance
- Tensions arose within the team, including a controversy at the Singapore Grand Prix
