F1 boss Christian Horner had plenty to celebrate at the weekend, following the arrival of Max Verstappen’s first child.
The Dutch sports star announced that he’d welcomed his first child – a daughter called Lily – with his girlfriend Kelly Piquet on Saturday in a heartwarming social media post.
Alongside a pair of pictures featuring their newborn daughter, loved-up couple Max and Kelly penned: “Welcome to the world, sweet Lily. Our hearts are fuller than ever – you are our greatest gift. We love you so much.”
© Getty ImagesChristian, 51, was among the first to react and opted to share a sweet tribute on Instagram, including a video message in which he said: “Hey Max, many many, many congratulations on becoming a dad and what a wonderful addition to your family.
“Get ready for some late nights and early mornings, and make sure you get involved with the nappy changes, that’s compulsory. Great news for you and Kelly.”
In his caption, meanwhile, he added: “Many, many congratulations @maxverstappen1 and @kellypiquet! This is a special time and we are all so delighted for you. Welcome to the world Lily!”
© InstagramFour-time world champion Max missed media appearances on Thursday ahead of the Miami Grand Prix so that he could be by his partner’s side.
A statement from the team read: “Max will not be attending media day in Miami as he is expecting a baby. All is well and he will attend track tomorrow for the race weekend.”
© Getty ImagesIt continued: “We will not be offering any further comment at this time in respect towards the privacy of Max and his family.”
Max’s family life
The F1 champ and his partner, Kelly Piquet, live in Monaco. The pair have been together since 2021, with Max and Kelly both sharing the same love of motorsports. Kelly, whose father is racing driver Nelson Piquet, has worked as a social media manager for Formula E since 2015.
The couple announced that they were expecting their first child together back in December last year. At the time, they shared a precious black-and-white photo that showed Max posing with one hand on Kelly’s blossoming baby bump.
© Instagram“Mini Verstappen-Piquet on the way”, he wrote in the caption. “We couldn’t be happier with our little miracle.”
In an interview with Dutch publication, Algemeen Dagblad, Max previously revealed that he would not miss a race to witness the birth of his children. “It’s possible, but I won’t do it,” he said. “This is just part of being a Formula 1 driver.
“If it happens, it happens. I can’t do anything about it. Unfortunately, Formula 1 drivers don’t get any free time, but at the same time, I’m not the one who gives birth.”
