Kelly Piquet, partner of Max Verstappen since late 2020, holds dual Brazilian and Dutch nationality, has a background in modeling and public relations, and comes from a family heritage directly linked to Formula 1. Born in Germany and raised between Brazil and France, she embodies a cosmopolitan journey that her connection with the four-time world champion has brought to light on a global scale.
Kelly Piquet: a birth in Germany and Brazilian roots
Kelly Piquet was born on December 7, 1988, in Homburg, Saarland (Germany). Her father, Nelson Piquet, three-time Formula 1 world champion (1981, 1983, 1987), was living in Europe for his sports career at the time. Her mother, Sylvia Tamsma, is of Dutch descent.
The family then moved to Brazil, where Kelly grew up primarily. She also spent part of her adolescence in France. This back-and-forth between three continents explains her fluency in several languages: Portuguese, English, French, and Dutch.
When exploring the origins of Max Verstappen’s partner, it is this trajectory between Germany, Brazil, and Europe that stands out. Kelly Piquet did not grow up in a single country, and this cultural plurality has influenced her professional as well as personal choices.
Modeling and public relations career: Kelly Piquet’s professional journey
Before becoming known to the public as the partner of a Formula 1 driver, Kelly Piquet built an independent career. She studied international relations at Marymount Manhattan University in New York. This degree guided her early steps into communication and public relations.
At the same time, she worked as a model for several fashion brands. Her profile attracted campaigns related to lifestyle and high-end fashion. She also collaborated with media specializing in automobiles, which naturally brought her closer to the paddock.
Her activity on social media, particularly Instagram, allowed her to develop her own audience. Kelly Piquet shares content that mixes fashion, travel, and family life, without limiting herself to the role of “partner.” This distinct professional identity sets her apart from other media figures in the F1 world.
Kelly Piquet and Formula 1: a family connection before being sentimental
Kelly Piquet’s link to Formula 1 did not begin with Max Verstappen. It dates back to her birth. As the daughter of Nelson Piquet, she has been immersed in this world since childhood. Circuits, paddocks, and the stakes of a world championship season have always been part of her daily life.
Before Verstappen, Kelly Piquet was in a relationship with Daniil Kvyat, former Red Bull driver. From this relationship, a daughter named Penelope was born. The detail is not without irony: Kvyat is precisely the driver that Max Verstappen replaced at Red Bull Racing in 2016.
Kelly Piquet and Max Verstappen officially confirmed their relationship on January 1, 2021, through Instagram posts accompanied by photos taken in Brazil. The couple primarily lives in Monaco, a common choice among F1 drivers for tax and logistical reasons.
A blended family in the spotlight
Penelope, the daughter of Kelly and Daniil Kvyat, is an integral part of the couple’s daily life. Social media posts regularly show Verstappen in a stepfather role, particularly during events like Penelope’s birthday after the Hungarian Grand Prix.
This blended family dimension, rarely highlighted in the French sports press, constitutes a concrete aspect of their shared life.
The birth of Lily in 2025: a turning point for the Verstappen-Piquet couple
In the spring of 2025, Kelly Piquet and Max Verstappen welcomed their first daughter together, named Lily. According to GPfans, Lily was born just before the Miami Grand Prix, and Verstappen describes her as “his greatest trophy.”
This birth marks a change in tone for the Dutch driver. Usually very protective of his private life, he gave interviews in 2026 focused on his role as a father. The Brazilian press, particularly Lance, reported a lengthy interview where he discussed the balance between competition and family life.
According to the auto-moto.com (sports section) website, Verstappen confides that some sacrifices related to F1 are starting to weigh since he became a father. He mentions the constant travel and the time spent away from his daughter. These statements fuel speculation about the duration of his career in Formula 1.
Family life with three children between Monaco and Brazil
The couple’s daily life is now organized around three figures: Penelope, Lily, and the racing calendars. Kelly Piquet shares on her social media family moments captured during the summer break, including stays in Brazil with her father Nelson Piquet and the two daughters.
The couple’s family structure can be summarized as follows:
- Penelope, born from the relationship between Kelly Piquet and Daniil Kvyat, who is about seven years old in 2026
- Lily, daughter of Kelly Piquet and Max Verstappen, born in the spring of 2025
- Nelson Piquet, Kelly’s father, three-time F1 world champion, regularly present in the family circle
Verstappen and his family life: what impact on the future in Formula 1
Verstappen’s statements in 2026 contrast with the image of the obsessive competitor. According to GPfans, he claims that family is now “the most important thing” in his life. The site le10sport reports a testimony where he describes a moment before a race: “I hugged her, then I had to leave.”
These confessions raise a question that the specialized press is increasingly addressing: does fatherhood alter a driver’s longevity at the top? The available data does not allow for a conclusion. Other champions, like Sebastian Vettel, have left F1 citing family priorities. Others, like Lewis Hamilton, continue despite a rich personal life.
Verstappen’s contract with Red Bull still runs for several more seasons. However, his recent comments suggest that he views the future differently, not in terms of results, but in terms of presence with Lily and Penelope. Kelly Piquet’s journey, from champion’s daughter to mother at the heart of the paddock, remains inseparable from this reflection.