Max Verstappen has spent much of his adult life in the fast-moving world of Formula 1. The Dutch-Belgian driver became the youngest competitor to make an F1 debut and later established himself as one of the sport’s leading champions.
Away from the track, Verstappen has built a family life with Kelly Piquet, a model and fashion professional who comes from one of Formula 1’s most famous families.
Kelly has known the racing world since childhood. Her father, Nelson Piquet, is a three-time Formula 1 World Champion, while her brother Nelson Piquet Jr. also competed in F1.
Her connection to the sport is therefore much deeper than simply being the partner of a driver. She grew up around racing and understands the unusual lifestyle that comes with competing at the highest level.
Max and Kelly have been together since around 2020 and later welcomed their daughter, Lily, in May 2025. Kelly is also a mother to her older daughter, Penelope, from her previous relationship with former F1 driver Daniil Kvyat.
Who Is Kelly Piquet?
Kelly Piquet is a Brazilian model and fashion professional who has developed a career outside of her relationship with Max Verstappen.
She was born in Germany in 1988 and spent part of her childhood in the South of France with her mother, Dutch model Sylvia Tamsma. When Kelly was 12, she moved to Brazil, where her father is from.
Her childhood involved several countries and cultures, which later became an important part of her identity.
As a teenager, Kelly attended school in England before returning to Brazil for her final year. At only 17, she moved to New York City to continue her education.
She attended Marymount Manhattan College and studied international relations.
Her early years therefore involved much more than Formula 1. Kelly experienced different cultures, studied abroad and eventually developed an interest in fashion and modeling.
Kelly Piquet’s Career in Fashion
Kelly began exploring the fashion industry while living in New York.
She worked as a stylist assistant at Vogue Latin America and later worked as a buyer for Bergdorf Goodman. Those roles gave her experience on the business and editorial sides of fashion.
She also followed her mother’s path into modeling.
Over the years, Kelly has worked with a number of fashion brands and has shared parts of her modeling career with her social media audience.
Her career has included fashion shoots, brand collaborations and magazine appearances. In January 2023, she appeared on the cover of Vogue Netherlands for an F1-inspired feature.
The magazine interview also gave Kelly an opportunity to talk about what it was like growing up around Formula 1.
For her, the racing paddock was never an unfamiliar place. She had spent years watching her father compete, so she understood the pressures drivers face.
Kelly Piquet Grew Up Around Formula 1
Formula 1 is part of Kelly’s family history.
Her father, Nelson Piquet, won three World Championships during his F1 career. He was one of the most successful drivers of his generation and became a major figure in the sport.
Kelly’s brother, Nelson Piquet Jr., also competed in Formula 1.
Growing up with two F1 drivers in the family meant Kelly was familiar with the travel, competition and intense attention surrounding the sport.
That background has also given her an understanding of what Max experiences during a racing season.
Kelly has explained that she knows what drivers go through because she grew up watching the sport from close range. However, she has also emphasized that Max’s career is his own and that she wants to maintain a sense of independence.
That distinction appears important to her.
Kelly Piquet and Daniil Kvyat
Before dating Max Verstappen, Kelly was in a relationship with fellow Formula 1 driver Daniil Kvyat.
The couple welcomed their daughter, Penelope, in July 2019.
Kvyat achieved a memorable result shortly after Penelope’s birth, finishing third at the German Grand Prix. He dedicated the podium achievement to Kelly and their newborn daughter.
Kelly has remained a devoted mother to Penelope and has occasionally shared family moments with her followers.
Penelope has also been part of Kelly’s life with Max. Photos shared over the years have shown the family spending time together during vacations and special occasions.
When Did Kelly Piquet and Max Verstappen Start Dating?
Max Verstappen and Kelly Piquet became a couple around 2020, with their relationship becoming public through social media in early 2021.
On January 1, 2021, Verstappen shared a photo of himself and Kelly on a beach while wishing his followers a happy new year.
Kelly posted her own photo with Max that same day.
The posts confirmed what fans had already been wondering about their relationship.
Since then, Kelly has occasionally shared photos from their life together, while Max’s social media presence has remained more heavily focused on racing.
The couple has generally kept their relationship relatively private compared with some other celebrity couples.
Kelly Piquet Supports Max Verstappen’s Racing Career
Kelly has frequently been seen supporting Max at Formula 1 races.
Her understanding of the sport means she knows the emotional highs and lows that come with a racing season.
She was there as Max achieved some of the biggest victories of his career, including his first Formula 1 World Championship in 2021 and another title in 2022.
In 2023, she also witnessed Max make history by winning 10 consecutive races.
Kelly’s presence at races has become a familiar sight, but she has made clear that her own life does not revolve entirely around Max’s career.
She has her own work, interests and goals.
That balance appears to be an important part of how she approaches life as the partner of one of the world’s most famous racing drivers.
Kelly Piquet and Max Verstappen’s Life in Monaco
Kelly’s home base has been Monaco, one of the most closely associated locations with Formula 1.
She has traveled extensively for both work and leisure, with trips taking her to destinations around the world.
When she is not traveling, Kelly has spent time in Monaco with Penelope and Max.
The couple also shares pets, including two Bengal cats named Jimmy and Sassy.
Kelly has occasionally posted photos of the cats, giving followers a small glimpse into their life away from the racing circuit.
The family lifestyle combines travel, fashion, racing and quiet time at home.
Kelly and Max Welcomed Their Daughter Lily
In December 2024, Max and Kelly announced that they were expecting a child together.
The couple described the pregnancy as a happy surprise and shared the news with their followers.
Their daughter Lily was born on May 2, 2025.
Max and Kelly announced the arrival with a joint social media post and described their daughter as their greatest gift.
Lily is the couple’s first child together, while Kelly is already a mother to Penelope.
The birth added another important chapter to their relationship and brought a new family role for Max.
Kelly Piquet as a Mother
Motherhood is an important part of Kelly’s life.
She has frequently shared affectionate moments involving Penelope, describing her daughter in warm terms and celebrating birthdays and family occasions.
Her relationship with Penelope has also been visible during her life with Max.
The arrival of Lily means Kelly is now raising two daughters, while Max has become a father for the first time.
For a family that spends much of its time traveling between races and other commitments, balancing parenting with work is likely to be a major part of their everyday routine.
Max Verstappen and Kelly Piquet’s Relationship
Max and Kelly have now been together for several years, and their relationship has developed through some of the biggest stages of Max’s career.
When they began dating, Max was already an established F1 driver, but his career continued to reach new levels afterward.
Kelly has watched him become a world champion and one of the most successful drivers of his generation.
The pair has also built a family together, which has changed their relationship beyond simply being a racing couple.
Despite public interest in whether they might eventually marry, Max previously indicated that he did not want to put a specific timetable on marriage.
He said he was happy with Kelly and preferred for such a decision to happen naturally.
Kelly Piquet’s Approach to Her Own Life
One of the most interesting aspects of Kelly’s public personality is her emphasis on independence.
Being the daughter of a three-time F1 champion and the girlfriend of another championship-winning driver could easily make racing the center of her identity.
Kelly has instead maintained her own professional interests.
Her fashion work, modeling, social media presence and family life give her a separate identity.
She has spoken about wanting to wake up each day with a sense that she is achieving something for herself.
That attitude has helped her remain more than simply a familiar face in the F1 paddock.
Final Thoughts
Kelly Piquet has a unique connection to Formula 1, but her story goes well beyond the racing circuit.
She grew up in a famous motorsport family, with Nelson Piquet as her father and Nelson Piquet Jr. as her brother. Yet she also created her own career through fashion, modeling and international work.
Her relationship with Max Verstappen began around 2020 and has continued through some of the biggest moments of his Formula 1 career.
Together, they have built a family that includes Kelly’s daughter Penelope and their daughter Lily, who was born in May 2025.
While Max remains focused on racing, Kelly continues to pursue her own interests while supporting him from the sidelines.
Their life brings together Formula 1, fashion, travel and family, but Kelly’s story is ultimately her own. From her international childhood to her career in fashion and her role as a mother, she has built a public identity that extends far beyond being known as Max Verstappen’s girlfriend.