Max Verstappen Reflects on Fatherhood as Daughter Lily Turns One

Max Verstappen has traded some of the spotlight for family time. The 28-year-old Dutch and Belgian racing driver, a four-time F1 world champion, became a father when his daughter Lily arrived in April 2025 with girlfriend Kelly Piquet.

As Lily recently celebrated her first birthday, Verstappen opened up about the experience of fatherhood and how it's reshaped his outlook on life beyond the track.

"For me, it's just really nice to be able to spend time now together, and also, for me, racing is fun, it's great, but it's also a nice thing to be home," he shared, noting that the transition to parenthood has been natural. Fatherhood was something he's "always wanted," and he's found no real surprises in the journey so far.

"I mean, it's just great to be able to spend time at home," the driver added, speaking fondly of his bond with his young daughter. "She seems to like me a lot, so that's good. We spend a lot of private time at home, so it's just really cute."

Verstappen emphasized how his personal priorities have evolved. "I know what I want. I know I also want to take my private time and now of course you, after a race weekend you try to head home and prioritize that probably a little bit more than you used to," he explained.

Beyond Lily, Verstappen is also part of the life of Penelope, Kelly's nearly seven-year-old daughter, deepening his family responsibilities.

The racing driver acknowledged that parenting in his high-pressure profession carries its own challenges. "It's probably more nerve wracking as a parent," he said, reflecting on the unique experience of balancing elite motorsport with fatherhood. He also shared meaningful perspective on his relationship with his own father, Jos, a retired Formula 1 driver. "It's probably something that we will think about and cherish for life. You give up a lot of your time to try and get to your end goal, and of course we've done that, we did that," he noted of their shared journey through racing.

Earlier this year, Verstappen also hinted at the possibility of stepping away from F1 racing in the future.