While most fans are intrigued by what Max Verstappen does on the grid, there are also many who are fascinated by the Dutchman’s personal life off of it, as well.
The 27-year-old has been in a relationship with Brazilian Kelly Piquet since 2020, but many followers of F1 may not know all of the important details about her – so here’s the lowdown:
Kelly Piquet’s early days
Both Verstappen and Piquet’s fathers spent time racing in F1. | Red Bull Content Pool
Kelly Piquet was born in 1988 in Homburg, Germany (West Germany at the time) to Nelson Piquet, a legendary F1 driver of the 80s and three-time world champion, and Sylvia Tamsma, who is a Dutch model.
She spent her childhood in France, Brazil, and a brief stint in the United Kingdom at boarding school, with most of her early childhood being spent in the south of France.
Majoring from Marymount Manhattan College with a degree in international relations, she spent time as a fashion intern, which would influence her later career.
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Kelly Piquet’s career and public image
Piquet’s fashion internship saw her working for Vogue Latinoamerica and Bergdorf Goodman further down the line, while also spending time writing for French women’s fashion magazine Marie Claire.
She has also done modelling for Lucas Boccalão, who is the editor for ELLE Brasil, as well as working for Formula E, doing coverage for the racing series in 2015.
How Kelly Piquet met Max Verstappen
An article from the Sun alleges that Piquet first met a then 19-year-old Max Verstappen in 2016 at a restaurant while with her brother, Nelson Piquet Jr.
As she was in a relationship at the time, Verstappen and her did not kindle a relationship in any way, but after becoming single in late 2019 it would not take long for the two to start dating, which would turn official in 2020.
Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
She is regularly seen in the paddock supporting Verstappen when he is both in and out of the car, but went on a hiatus to give birth to their daughter, Lily. An Instagram post showed the two together at the Italian Grand Prix, which was Piquet’s first race back since having a child.
Who are Kelly Piquet’s family?
Kelly Piquet’s father is Nelson Piquet, a famous Brazilian F1 driver all throughout the 1980s who picked up three titles in 1981, 1983 and 1987, winning 23 races in his 14-year career — see here Sports Illustrated referring to the three-time champ as ‘small’ in 1980!
Her mother is Sylvia Tamsma, a Dutch model.
Nelson Piquet Jr, also known as Nelsinho, is her brother. He’s most well known to motorsport fans for winning the Formula E championship in 2014-15 and racing for Renault in F1 in the late 2000s, being one of the key figures in the Crashgate scandal.
Half-brother Pedro Piquet is also a racing driver, who spent a singular season in F2 back in 2020, but has barely raced since.
Daniil Kvyat was a stalwart in F1 for six years, but has since gone on to race in NASCAR and at Le Mans. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK
Ex-boyfiend Daniil Kvyat, who Piquet has a daughter called Penelope with, is well known to F1 fans who watched in the 2010s. The 31-year-old Russian was the driver Max Verstappen replaced at Red Bull, and he scored three podiums in his F1 career.
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