Max Verstappen Opens Up On His Personal Life With Rare Comments

In a rare occurrence, Max Verstappen opened up about his personal life, his girlfriend Kelly Piquet, and her daughter Penelope. The three-time world champion also spoke about his hobby away from Formula 1 and how his girlfriend often pulls him out of his indulgence as there are “other things to do.”

The Red Bull driver concluded the best season of his career after winning 19 out of 22 Grand Prix, as well as the championship title. He also broke more than eighteen records with the RB19. The dominant car that not only took him across the finish line first but, also into the history books of the sport as one of the best drivers.

Though he prefers to keep his personal life as private as possible, Kelly Piquet has often been spotted with him during Formula 1 races and other events. She has been known to cheer for him from the paddock and is often seen celebrating on the front row after Verstappen’s race victories.

Kelly is a Brazilian model, columnist, blogger, and public relations professional. She is the daughter of former Formula 1 driver Nelson Piquet and has a four-year-old daughter, Penelope, with racing driver Daniil Kvyat, whom Verstappen replaced at Red Bull in 2016.

Verstappen revealed that he enjoys other sports but, there’s none he strongly feels about. The 26-year-old driver is passionate about simulator racing. He even has his own team and is totally dedicated to the world of virtual racing. Speaking about the time and energy he spends on sim racing, Kelly said

There have been times where I’ve been like, ‘OK, time to switch off’.

“You have to give a gentle reminder that the sun is shining outside and, you know, there are other things to do.”

Penelope shares an adorable relationship with Verstappen as she visits him every day. But the Red Bull driver also revealed that she has a good relationship with her father, which is crucial for her growth. He told TIME:

“I’m not the father, that’s not the aim.

“It’s always very important that she has a good relationship with her own father, which she has.

“But I see her every day when I’m at home. We get on very well. She’s very cute.”