Kelly Piquet and Max Verstappen are currently expecting their first š¤š©šŖšš„ together
Photo: FIA/Handout/via Getty
Max VerstappenĀ is known for his heart-racing speed on the Formula 1 track. The Belgian-Dutch competitor was theĀ youngest driverĀ to ever participate in F1, making his debut at just 17 years old in 2015. Verstappen went on to winĀ his first-ever F1 titleĀ in 2021, and has already entered the sport’sĀ top 10 all-time winner’s list.
Through it all, Verstappen’s girlfriend, Kelly Piquet, has been cheering him on. She is no stranger to the F1 lifestyle: her father,Ā Nelson Piquet, and brother, Nelson Piquet Jr., are both F1 racers. Prior to dating Verstappen, she was also linked to fellow F1 racer Daniil Kvyat, with whom she welcomed a daughter in 2019.
Piquet and Verstappen are currentlyĀ expecting their first š¤š©šŖšš„ together. The couple announced the happy news onĀ InstagramĀ in December 2024.
Keep reading for everything to know about Max Verstappen’s girlfriend, Kelly Piquet.
She’s BrazilianĀ and DutchKelly Piquet and Max Verstappen in 2023.
Mark Thompson/Getty
Piquet wasĀ ššØš«š§ in GermanyĀ in 1988. She spent her š¤š©šŖšš„hood living with her mom, Dutch model Sylvia Tamsma, in the South of France before moving to Brazil, where her father is from, at age 12. During her high school years, Piquet studied at a school in England but finished her senior year back in Brazil. After graduation, the then-17-year-old headed to New York City to study at Marymount Manhattan College, where she majored in international relations.
In November 2021, she visited Brazil with Verstappen and her daughter Penelope. Piquet shared severalĀ photosĀ from the trip on Instagram, including a snap of Verstappen sitting alongside her daughter.
She’s a modelKelly Piquet in 2024.
Rick Kern/Getty
While in N.Y.C., Piquet started working in fashion, and held roles as a stylist assistant atĀ Vogue Latin AmericaĀ and as a buyer for Bergdorf Goodman. She also followed in her mom’s footsteps in the modeling industry, working with brands likeĀ Pepe Jeans,Ā PatBoĀ andĀ Louis Vuitton. Piquet regularly posts snaps of her modeling work onĀ Instagram, in addition to sweet photos of her daughter and her travels with Verstappen.
In January 2023, Piquet posed for an F1-inspiredĀ Vogue NetherlandsĀ cover and spoke with the outlet about growing up at the track.
“This world is so familiar to me, I know what those guys are going through,” she said.
The model went on to explain why her world doesn’t revolve around Verstappen’s career.
“Ultimately, this is Max’s job. Would you normally bring your girlfriend or partner to the office?” she said. “I want to wake up every day with the feeling: Today I am going to achieve something, otherwise you will lose your strength, your energy, your light. I am a happy and grateful person.”
She is an F1 legacyKelly Piquet Instagram
Piquet’s father, Nelson, was an F1 driver in the ’80s. He is aĀ three-time World ChampionĀ and has beenĀ ranked among the top F1 driversĀ of all time.
In June 2022, seven-time F1 championĀ Lewis HamiltonĀ called Nelson out on Twitter after a 2021 interview of Nelson surfaced, during which the retired driverĀ used a racial slur against Hamilton. As a result, Nelson wasĀ reportedly bannedĀ from the F1 paddock.
Piquet’s brother, Nelson Jr., is also an F1 racer. To celebrate her brother’s 35th šš¢š«šš”day in 2020, sheĀ postedĀ a throwback photo on Instagram with the caption, “Happy Birthday @piquetjr ššYou are and will always be my first bully ā„ļøš #35.”
She has a š¤š©šŖšš„ with F1 driver Daniil Kvyat
zKelly Piquet Instagram
In July 2019, Piquet welcomed a daughter, Penelope, with F1 driver Daniil Kvyat, whom she was dating at the time. The day after Penelope was ššØš«š§, KvyatĀ claimed his first podiumĀ in three years after finishing third at the German Grand Prix. The driver dedicated his success in the race to Piquet and their newššØš«š§.
Piquet often shares photos of her daughter, calling Penelope her “superstar” and her “ray of sunshine.” In July 2022, Piquet shared several photos from Penelope’s mermaid-themed third šš¢š«šš”day party, including one adorableĀ snapĀ of the mother-daughter duo posing with Verstappen in front of an elaborate mermaid cake.
She and Verstappen went Instagram official in 2021Max Verstappen and Kelly Piquet.
Max Verstappen/Instagram
The couple’s first Instagram photo together came early in 2021. On January 1, Verstappen posted a snap of himself and Piquet on the beach along with a message about the future. “Happy New Year everyone,” heĀ wrote. “Let’s make 2021 a year to remember in many ways. Wishing you all success, love and happiness just as I found mine.”
On the same day, Piquet alsoĀ shared a photoĀ of the couple. “Love is what makes the world go round. Happy new year and much love,” she captioned the post.
While Verstappen’s InstagramĀ pageĀ is mainly dedicated to his racing triumphs, Piquet occasionally shares photos with the F1 driver on her own profile. In September 2021, she celebrated Verstappen’s šš¢š«šš”day with a sweet Instagram tribute. “Happy Birthday to the love of my life āØI love everything about you, about us and I am beyond proud of you. I can’t wait for all that is to come š¤,” sheĀ wroteĀ alongside a photo of the couple.
In May 2022, the racer posted photos of Piquet, his motherĀ Sophie KumpenĀ and his sisterĀ Victoria VerstappenĀ in celebration of Mother’s Day. “Happy Mothers Day to these amazing mothers šš¤©,”Ā he wrote, with his girlfriend commenting, “Love you š.”
She and Verstappen share two cats
Piquet regularly shows off the two Bengal cats she shares with Verstappen, Jimmy and Sassy. In October 2021, she posted a pair of pictures onĀ InstagramĀ showing the furry friends snuggled close together.
She lives in Monaco
From Paris to Tokyo, Piquet has traveled all over the world for work and leisure. But her home base is Monaco, where she lives with her daughter, Penelope, and Verstappen.
In December 2022, Piquet celebrated her 34th šš¢š«šš”day with Verstappen and a slew of girlfriends at a restaurant in Monte Carlo. She shared a carousel of images from the “amazing” evening onĀ Instagram.
She is very supportive of Verstappen’s careerMax Verstappen celebrates with Kelly Piquet during the 2023 F1 Grand Prix of The Netherlands.
Mark Thompson/Getty
Piquet rarely misses one of Verstappen’s races. She watched him win his first and second Formula 1 titles in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Then, in September 2023, she witnessed Verstappen make F1 history when he won 10 consecutive races.
She and Verstappen are in no rush to get married
Even though the couple has been going strong since 2020, Verstappen told German publicationĀ BlickĀ in December 2023 that “time will tell” if he and Piquet make it down the aisle.
“Marry? I? Now you have publicly pressured me to give a date! I don’t know, time will tell. At the moment I’m very, very happy with Kelly, but personally, I don’t have a timetable for when I’ll get on my knees in front of her. This should all happen spontaneously,” he said, perĀ Sportskeeda.
He later added, “Like I said, I don’t know. The right day will come when we feel like we can put our relationship on paper.”
She and Verstappen are expecting their first šššš¦ together
In December 2024, the couple revealed that they have a “mini Verstappen-Piquet on the way.” They shared the news onĀ InstagramĀ alongside a photo of Verstappen cradling Piquet’s growing šššš¦ bump.
“We couldnāt be happier with our little miracle,” the couple wrote.