Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen will become a father in 2025, he announced earlier this month. He’ll be the only frontrunning driver with a child.
Verstappen, already a stepdad, revealed the news in a joint statement with partner Kelly Piquet. Piquet’s father is three-time F1 world champion Nelson, and her brother also raced in the sport.
Verstappen will be 27 when his son or daughter is born. Charles Leclerc, George Russell and Lando Norris are part of a similar generation, but they’ve yet to have any children.
It’s unclear when the baby is due, but it’s safe to say it will be at some point during the 2025 F1 season. As an elite-level athlete, it’s extremely unlikely that Verstappen will take any prolonged paternity leave.
But it’s not unusual for professional sportsmen to miss an event within a season if it coincides with the delivery date. In team sports, they can be temporarily replaced, but an absence in F1 could be more consequential.
Max Verstappen still plans to race if his child arrives during a Grand Prix weekend
The 2025 season is expected to be the closest ever. 2024 was already extremely tight, and logically the convergence should continue in the final year of a stagnant ruleset.
That means a single DNF or DNS among the contenders could be decisive in determining the outcome of the championship. Of course, nobody could criticise Verstappen for choosing not to prioritise F1 in the circumstances.
According to sport.de, though, he would ‘still race’ even if ‘the child came on a [race] weekend’. The couple may already be putting plans in place.
It’s noted that Michael Schumacher, who has two children, took a similar approach during his career. Verstappen knows an absence could cause significant damage to his season, and there’s no obvious stand-in option for Red Bull.
What Kelly Piquet noticed about Max Verstappen before epic Sao Paulo Grand Prix performance
While it’s ‘impossible’ for him to say whether drivers slow down after having children, Lewis Hamilton reckons kids are like ‘anchors’ for athletes. Given the danger inherent in the sport, an F1 driver may be less inclined to take risks with a family at home.
There may or not be a detectable impact on Verstappen. With Sergio Perez and Kevin Magnussen dropping off the grid, Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg is the only other driver with children.
Verstappen may seek the advice of the 37-year-old on managing the changes in his life. Hulkenberg remains exceptionally fast, which is why Audi made him their flagship signing.
Piquet has often attended F1 races, but her schedule may now change. In a visit before the season-defining Sao Paulo GP, she noticed that Verstappen’s hands were ‘ice cold’, so great were his nerves, but he channelled them into motivation.
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