Max Verstappen Joins the Dad Club: Welcomes Daughter Lily with Kelly Piquet
Another day, another athlete trading in the adrenaline of racing for the joy of diaper duty. Max Verstappen, the 27-year-old Formula 1 superstar, has officially entered fatherhood, welcoming his first child, a daughter named Lily, with girlfriend Kelly Piquet. The couple shared this monumental news in an Instagram post that was just shy of an Oscar acceptance speech; they declared, “Welcome to the world, sweet Lily ???? Our hearts are fuller than ever.” Because nothing says “we’re ready for parenthood” quite like a black-and-white photo of hands on a baby bump, right?
In case you missed it, the announcement came after the couple revealed they were expecting back in December 2024. At that time, they clearly had their life planned out with all the romantic flair of a Netflix rom-com. Kelly, who is 36 and the daughter of three-time F1 champ Nelson Piquet, has a daughter named Penelope from a previous relationship with Russian driver Daniil Kvyat. So, let’s just say she may have the whole parenting thing down to an art form—while Max is still figuring out how to navigate traffic in the pit lane.
Verstappen’s sister, Victoria, was quick to jump into the comments section, bringing the family warmth with, “Can’t wait to meet ????????.” Meanwhile, fellow F1 drivers Daniel Abt and Robert Doornbos chimed in with supportive messages, because nothing says “congratulations” quite like a group of competitors turning into cheerleaders. Abt wrote, “Congratulations ????????,” and Doornbos added, “Congrats with your beautiful little princess Lily ????.” Clearly, they’ve swapped out tire pressure for baby bottles.
While Max is notoriously tight-lipped about his personal life, Kelly seems to have taken the opposite route, filling her feed with sweet moments and proclamations of love. She’s even dubbed him “the love of my life,” which is adorable until you remember they’re both in the high-octane world of F1 where love is often as fleeting as a pit stop. Kelly has also taken to Instagram to express her gratitude for all the support, while also acknowledging the emotional complexity of pregnancy announcements. “If that’s you, I’m sending all my love, my deepest hugs and magic your way,” she wrote, because nothing says “I’m a parent now” like a side of empathy for those still waiting for their own little miracle.
So, there you have it: another racing champion now faces the battle of sleepless nights and diaper changes, proving that even the fastest drivers can’t outrun parenthood. Tune in next time for more tales of life in the fast lane and the slower lane of parenting.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and People Magazine, Dotdash Meredith
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
