Kelly Piquet stunned F1 fans by saying just one word to help Max Verstappen overcome the pressure and win an emotional victory at the Azerbaijan GP that stunned the world.
BAKU – In a weekend filled with chaos and unexpected twists, Max Verstappen captivated the Formula 1 world once again with a dominant victory at the Baku City Circuit. The Dutch Red Bull driver took pole position in a qualifying session rife with red flags and crashes, and then led from start to finish at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. But behind this triumph was a personal story that touched the hearts of fans: the support of his partner, Kelly Piquet, who, with just a word, lifted the pressure from his shoulders.
It was a session to remember, or rather, to crash in. Qualifying for the Azerbaijan GP on Saturday, September 20, 2025, lasted nearly two hours and saw a record six red flags. Reigning champion Oscar Piastri of McLaren, leader of the World Championship standings, hit the wall at Turn 3 during Q3, dropping him to nine starting positions. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc quickly followed with a crash, and Pierre Gasly, Franco Colapinto, and Esteban Ocon also hit the barriers. Lando Norris, Piastri’s teammate and title contender, couldn’t fully capitalize and qualified seventh after a lap full of minor errors. In the chaos, Verstappen maintained his composure. With a perfect lap of 1:41.117, he set the fastest time, ahead of Williams driver Carlos Sainz in second and Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson in third. “This was pure survival,” Verstappen said afterward. The wind, the rain showers—it was like racing on ice. But I felt strong in the car.
Sunday’s race began with even more drama. Verstappen started from pole and retained the lead, while Piastri hit the wall at Turn 5 on the opening lap, ending his race prematurely. This incident, potentially with far-reaching consequences for the title race, left McLaren empty-handed. Norris moved up to eighth place at the start but couldn’t get any closer. Verstappen built a comfortable lead, while Mercedes’ George Russell and Sainz battled for second place. A safety car after a collision between Yuki Tsunoda and Kimi Antonelli shook up the field, but Verstappen responded perfectly to Red Bull’s pit stop strategy. He switched to fresh medium tires and rejoined the race with a lead of over ten seconds. “The car felt great,” he grinned. “We needed the upgrades after a tough start to the season.”
A fierce battle erupted behind him. Russell overtook Sainz on lap 40 after a clever overtaking maneuver on Baku’s long straights, while Lawson took his best-ever result with fifth place, under pressure from Leclerc and Norris. The British McLaren driver climbed to sixth but couldn’t close the gap to the front. Ferrari’s Leclerc finished seventh, followed by Antonelli and Hadjar. The race ended without further incident, with Verstappen crossing the finish line 25 seconds ahead. It was his sixth victory of the season and his second in a row after Italy. In the championship, his gap to Piastri now shrinks to 69 points with seven races remaining. “This feels like a breakthrough,” said team principal Christian Horner. “Max is back in the title fight.”
But what made this victory extra special was the emotional layer behind it. Verstappen, who has struggled this season with the pressure of a dominant McLaren and internal tensions at Red Bull, seemed on the verge of a breakdown before the race. In the paddock, away from the cameras, he found solace with Kelly Piquet, his partner since 2020 and mother of their daughter Lily, 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 earlier this year. Piquet, daughter of F1 legend Nelson Piquet, is no stranger to the paddock. She supports Verstappen not only as a model and influencer, but also as a confidante. Before the start of the race, as tensions mounted—with reports of team conflicts and the pressure of a shrinking title race—she whispered one word to him: “Believe.” Fans, who saw this intimate moment via a leaked clip on social media, were stunned. “Kelly’s ‘Believe’ was the key,” one fan tweeted. “She knows his weaknesses and makes him unbeatable.”
Piquet himself later shared a photo of Verstappen in parc fermé on Instagram, captioned “Keep them showing”—a nod to his resilience. The word “Believe” went viral, with thousands of fans seeing it as a symbol of the mental struggle in F1. Verstappen, often praised for his talent but criticized for his emotional outbursts, made a rare opening in the press conference. “Kelly is my anchor,” he admitted, as his grandmother—present in Baku—wiped away tears during the national anthem. “This season has been tough, with the 𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑦 and the pressure. That one word… it did wonders. It reminds me why I do this.” His grandmother, a quiet presence in his life, gave him an emotional hug on the podium, a rare family moment in the glamorous world of F1.
The victory in Azerbaijan was more than just scoring points; it was a statement. Red Bull, struggling with reliability issues, showed resilience with this 1-2 in the Constructors’ Championship (Verstappen ahead of teammate Sergio Perez, who finished outside the points). McLaren lost ground: Piastri’s DNF cost him a crucial 25 points, and Norris couldn’t get any closer. Ferrari and Mercedes licked their wounds, with Sainz providing the silver lining for Williams. Baku, with its tight walls and long sprints, proved once again why it’s one of the most unpredictable circuits. “This track punishes mistakes,” said Russell, who finished second in the race. “Max didn’t make any.”
For Verstappen, a four-time world champion, this victory feels like a catharsis. After a summer filled with speculation about his future at Red Bull and the arrival of his 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥, he seems re𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧. Piquet’s support, embodied in that one word, underscores how crucial personal support is in a sport where milliseconds and mindset make all the difference. Fans worldwide, from the Netherlands to Brazil, are celebrating not just the driver, but the man behind it. “Believe” – the word that shocked the world and restored a champion.
The F1 caravan now heads to Singapore, where the heat and night circuit promise new challenges. But after Baku, one thing is certain: Max Verstappen is back, stronger than ever. And with Kelly at his side, nothing seems impossible.
