Max Verstappen and Kelly Piquet’s relationship timeline: How they met, who is she and everything to know | Explainer

Max Verstappen is one of the biggest names in Formula 1, holding the record for the most consecutive wins in one season.

He became F1’s youngest driver in 2015, when he made his debut at just 17 years old at the Australian Grand Prix.

But everything changed for Verstappen in 2016, when he met the woman who would later become the love of his life, Kelly Piquet.

Piquet, a Brazilian-Dutch model, was no stranger to the world of F1, having grown up in a family of race car drivers.

Her dad, Nelson Piquet, was a three-time F1 champion, and her older brother Nelson Piquet Jr. followed in his footsteps, competing in both the F1 and Formula E. 

Verstappen also comes from a background in the sport – his dad is Jos Verstappen, who raced in F1 from 1994 to 2003.

Piquet and Verstappen first met over dinner shared with her older brother when she was 28 years old and he was 19.

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In a 2022 interview with Vogue Netherlands, Piquet said “something magical happened” the night she and Verstappen met.

But, despite the magic in the air, the pair wouldn’t actually begin dating for another four years. 

In the meantime, Piquet began seeing another F1 driver, Daniil Kvyat.

The former couple began seeing each other in 2017 and split shortly after welcoming their daughter Penelope in 2019. 

While we don’t know exactly when Verstappen and Piquet started seeing each other, we do know they hard-launched their relationship with an Instagram post in 2021. 

“Let’s make 2021 a year to remember in many ways,” Verstappen captioned the image of the two getting cosy at a New Year’s celebration.

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“Wishing you all success, love and happiness just as I found mine.”

Over the years, the two have continued to share their support for each other via social media, with Piquet often taking to Instagram to celebrate her beau’s wins, rarely ever missing a race.

She has watched Verstappen win his first and second F1 titles in 2021 and 2022, and was by his side when he broke the record for consecutive wins in 2023. 

Off the track, Verstappen took on a step-father role for Penelope, with Piquet often sharing images of the three, and Verstappen celebrating his partner on Mother’s Day. 

“Happy Mother’s Day to these amazing mothers 🙏🤩,” he wrote in an Instagram caption in 2022, alongside an image of Piquet beside his mum, followed by an image of his younger sister Victoria Verstappen, who also has two children. 

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“I think we have a very healthy relationship, easy-going, we have a lot of understanding and support for each other,” Piquet told Vogue Netherlands of her relationship in 2022.

“I also really appreciate how he treats Penelope. It’s so sweet to see. He always asks for her, always visits her to say hello when he leaves, and gets her love back.”

In that same interview, Piquet shared that she hopes there are more children in her future, and Verstappen echoed the sentiment during a chat with Dutch newspaper De Limburger, saying that he ‘definitely’ wants kids of his own. 

Then, in December 2024, the pair announced that they were expecting another baby.

“Mini Verstappen-Piquet on the way ❤️,” they captioned a joint Instagram post.

“We couldn’t be happier with our little miracle 💫.”

Their daughter Lily was born just a few months later, with the couple announcing her arrival in May 2025.

“Welcome to the world, sweet Lily 🌸 Our hearts are fuller than ever – you are our greatest gift. We love you so much 💗,” they wrote.

Since announcing the arrival of their baby girl, Piquet has shared several snaps of their young family.

For Father’s Day, she celebrated her partner with a sweet post, calling Verstappen “the best I could ask for”.

In a YouTube clip celebrating his 200th Red Bull race in Budapest, Verstappen reflected on how welcoming Lily has changed his life, both on and off the track.

”Even if you have a bad race or weekend, when you get back home, it doesn’t really matter, does it?” He said.

“You see your little baby girl smiling at you, it’s OK. Life goes on – at the end of the day, that is the most important, your little family.”

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