Double World Champion Max Verstappen has been compared to a questionable character, with his girlfriend Kelly Piquet having likened the Dutchman to her father, three-time Formula 1 World Champion Nelson Piquet.
Verstappen’s girlfriend was recently hit with criticism following her appearance on the front cover of Vogue Magazine in the Netherlands, where she was wearing a race suit and a helmet.
Piquet was praised in the magazine as being an influential figure for women in motorsport; however, this didn’t go down well on social media.
Many questioned Vogue’s choice of wording throughout the magazine and the fact they did a motorsport-based front cover without using someone who is seen as a role model for women in F1, like Red Bull strategist Hannah Schmitz.
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Verstappen’s partner has often been slammed for her incredibly public political statements and for defending her father, who was banned from the Formula 1 paddock after using derogatory racist and homophobic language towards seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton.
Verstappen, too, jumped to Nelson’s defence at the time and explained that he “is not a racist”.
During the feature on her life, Piquet explained what Verstappen is really like as a person and, more importantly, how he’s “similar” to her banned father.
“He remains so humble, he has both feet firmly on the ground,” she said, quoted by GPBlog.
“What I really like is that he knows what he wants and he is not afraid to say it. He is confident and not interested in fame or material things.
“We have a lot in common, are bon vivants. I realise more and more how similar he is to my father.”
Piquet is often by Verstappen’s side at the vast majority of races, and has been surrounded by motorsport her whole life, given that her brother is ex-F1 driver Nelson Piquet Jr. who was also the first Formula E Champion.
From that point of view, she does understand the racing “world” and the “ups and downs” that go with it, something she’s experienced several of.
“I was always very involved in my brother’s career,” explained Piquet.
“I’ve experienced the ups and downs, seen what pressure does to someone. This world is so familiar to me, I know what those guys go through.”
Piquet and Verstappen have never really explained the truth on how they got together, with many having been sceptical about Piquet’s intentions with the Dutchman, considering that she has a child with ex-F1 driver Daniil Kvyat, who was replaced by Verstappen at Red Bull at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix.
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She revealed that she’s “careful” with what she says about their relationship, but that perhaps “one day” the full story will be revealed.
“Maybe one day we will reveal the whole story, but I am careful with what I say,” she admitted.
“On the internet, everything derails so quickly. It’s nice to keep some things between us and us alone.”