Red Bull’s four-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen said he “never consider a year out” after he and his partner Kelly Piquet learned they’re expecting their first child together.
The happy couple delivered the delightful news on Friday, ahead of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, that they were expecting.
Posting on Instagram, the couple wrote “Mini Verstappen-Piquet on the way. We couldn’t be happier with our little miracle.”
The news received congratulations from across the motorsport world and led to Verstappen being posed questions on whether his F1 activities will change when he becomes a father.
”No, I never considered taking a year out, to be honest,” Verstappen told select media including Motorsport Week when asked if he’d step away from F1 for a time when ‘mini Verstappen-Piquet’ arrives on the scene.
Verstappen has already juggled parenting duties with F1 racing as he helps raise Piquet and Daniil Kvyat’s daughter Penelope, who was born in 2019.
‘I’ve done [parenting] already a bit,” Verstappen said.
“It’s not like it’s completely new to me, so of course now it’s my DNA, but I think it’s absolutely fine.
“I know that the baby will be in good hands when I’m away. So I can focus on racing and then you go back to your family, it’s how it goes.”
Verstappen, an avid sim-racer said that he’d “keep up my hobbies, but naturally of course, sometimes a little bit less time for certain things.”
Max Verstappen won’t force his child into racing
From an early age, Verstappen followed his father Jos into racing and the strict methods used to teach the four-time F1 champion are well documented.
Asked if he would like his child to pursue his career path, Verstappen was reluctant, unwilling to push his son or daughter into F1.
When probed on whether he’d want his child to become a racer, Verstappen replied “well, I mean, if he or she wants to do it, and I see that there is talent, I would support it, actually but I really hope not.
“Yeah, but again, no pressure. Just live your life.”
Verstappen and Piquet started dating in 2020 and the expecting parents are a family with a strong racing heritage.
Not only is Verstappen’s father a still-active racing competitor, but Piquet is the daughter of three-time F1 champion Nelson.
So, if ‘mini Verstappen-Piquet’ does pursue a racing career, thy won’t be short of mentors.
READ MORE – Max Verstappen and partner Kelly Piquet announce pregnancy
