Formula One hero Max Verstappen’s partner, almost a decade his senior, opened up about their “absolute disaster” first meeting before they fell head over heels in love
Max Verstappen’s partner, Kelly Piquet, has candidly described their first meeting as an “absolute disaster”.
The daughter of F1 legend Nelson Piquet was 27 when she first crossed paths with the Red Bull ace in 2016, who was then just 19. Earlier this week, Kelly, now 37, took to Instagram to share a series of throwback snaps from her life a decade ago.
Among the photos of holidays and family celebrations, there was also a poignant picture with Niki Lauda, who passed away in 2019. However, it was the final photo that caught everyone’s attention.
The monochrome image showed Kelly and Verstappen together, hinting at their future relationship. The caption read: “I met this man. The very next day he told me I was the love of his life. Little did I know that 10 years later we’d be celebrating five years together and have a perfect baby girl.”
In a further comment, Kelly added: “I absolutely did not have a magical night that evening, but there was serendipity in the air.” Her mother quoted this remark, saying: “I did not have a magical night that night,” to which Kelly responded: “I would say an absolute disaster.”
Despite the rocky start, Kelly has been by Max’s side for all his world championship victories, marking nearly six years together. Despite losing out on the championship last season to Lando Norris, 2025 remained a remarkable year for Verstappen as he became a father for the first time when partner Kelly gave birth to daughter Lily in May.
Reflecting on fatherhood, he shared: “It was definitely a wonderful experience. I’m so glad I could be there – absolutely. My parents also said, of course, that being there and experiencing everything is the most beautiful thing. That’s absolutely true. Seeing your own baby is, of course, very special.”
With his Red Bull contract running until 2028, the team’s disappointing campaign last season and Mercedes’ persistent pursuit of Verstappen sparked speculation about his future with the outfit.
A clause within his deal, which could potentially allow him to depart Red Bull if he finishes below second in the drivers’ standings, is understood to be triggered once more later this year.
Ex-F1 racer Johnny Herbert reckons Verstappen’s allegiance to the squad he’s called home throughout his career has its boundaries. Speaking to Express Sport via JeffBet, he explained: “Loyalty is important, but it can only go so far.
“When you’re in Verstappen’s position, you have to have that trust that Red Bull can offer him what he needs to win races. But if Red Bull can’t consistently offer him the tools he needs, like in 2025, sometimes, loyalty comes to an end.
“Feelings can shift because they’re not giving you what they should be giving you. I think a driver of Max’s stature is always looking for the next best thing. That doesn’t mean it could be next year, it could be in the next two or three years. All the rumours last season were a sign that Max might be looking elsewhere, let’s see.”