Four-time Formula One world champion Max Verstappen and his partner Kelly Piquet have welcomed a baby girl into the world.
The pair announced the birth with a joint Instagram post on Friday night (AEST) ahead of the Miami Grand Prix.
“Welcome to the world, sweet Lily,” the post says.
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“Our hearts are fuller than ever — you are our greatest gift. We love you so much.”
The post was flooded with messages of congratulations from friends, family, and fans.
Verstappen’s sister Victoria was among the first: “Can’t wait to meet.”
Fellow Dutch countryman and former Red Bull driver, Robert Doornbos, said: “Congrats with your beautiful little princes Lily.”
Lily is Verstappen’s first but the 27-year-old has been a father figure to Piquet’s daughter since the beginning of their relationship in 2020.
Piquet gave birth to Penelope in 2019 and split with the baby’s father Daniil Kvyat — the former F1 driver who Verstappen replaced at Red Bull Racing — later that year.
“Mini Verstappen-Piquet on the way,” the couple said in December last year.
“We couldn’t be happier with our little miracle.”
Max Verstappen celebrates a win last month with a kiss from partner Kelly Piquet. Credit: Getty Piquet separately said she “cannot express how happy” they were and, having both hinted at fertility challenges, shared a message to others.
“I understand how these announcements can be challenging for those who are longing for a child,” she wrote.
“While such news is often a joyous occasion it can also evoke feelings of sadness, frustration or longing in those who are struggling with this. If that’s you, I’m sending all my love, my deepest hugs and magic your way.”
The couple’s pregnancy announcement came less than two weeks after Verstappen opened up on his future with a telling message about giving back to his family.
“There is so many more things that I want to do in my life,” he said.
“Also just having a bit of fun and catching up with my family. Nowadays my dad or mum will call and I’m like ‘I’m busy I’ll call them back later’.
“But I also know there will be a day when they are not calling me any more, these kind of moments make me realise it is not all about racing and I want to spend time with them.
”Because from when I was four years old, my family’s lives have been dedicated to me and success and trying to get to Formula 1 and at one point that’s enough and then you have to give back and spend more time with them.
“At the end of the day that’s way more important than all the success here. It’s great and I love it, I love to be competitive, I love to win championships and races but at one point family comes first and you really have to savour those moments.”