Verstappen Arrives in Miami Ahead of Grand Prix
Max Verstappen landed in Miami on Thursday evening, just hours before the start of the Formula 1 race weekend. His private Falcon 8X, valued at $50 million, arrived at approximately 8 PM, following his absence from media commitments due to family reasons—he and his partner, Kelly Piquet, are expecting their first child.
In an official statement, Red Bull confirmed, “Max will not be attending media day in Miami as he is expecting a baby. All is well, and he will attend the track tomorrow for the race weekend.” The team emphasized their respect for the privacy of Verstappen and his family, offering no further comments.
The race weekend kicks off with Practice 1 at 12:30 PM local time, followed by sprint qualifying four hours later. Verstappen, a four-time world champion, has previously stated that fatherhood will not alter his racing style. He remarked, “I have done it already, so it is not like it is completely new for me. You focus on your racing and then go back to your family.”
Nico Hulkenberg, the only other father on the current F1 grid, light-heartedly shared his hopes for Verstappen’s child to be a “good sleeper,” reflecting on his own experience since becoming a father in 2021.
As the F1 community looks forward to the Miami Grand Prix, all eyes will be on Verstappen as he balances the excitement of impending fatherhood with the demands of competitive racing.
