Max Verstappen is yet to marry Kelly Piquet and have children of his own. However, he is a guardian to Piquet’s daughter from Daniil Kvyat, Penelope Kvyat.

Verstappen and Piquet have been in a relationship for a long time now, but there is no news of wedding bells ringing for them anytime soon.

Max Verstappen with Kelly Piquet and stepdaughter Penelope

Prior to dating the Dutchman, Piquet was in a relationship with Russian driver Daniil Kvyat.

Verstappen and Piquet first made a public appearance while vacationing at the end of the 2020 season. Since then they have been frequently spotted together both inside and outside of the paddock.

How does Max Verstappen plan on bringing up his children in the future?

We wouldn’t have seen Max Verstappen break race records and win championships the way he is if it weren’t for his father. However, the Dutch driver doesn’t intend on following his father’s footsteps, and plans on raising his kids “differently.”

In a recent interview with the Dutch newspaper De Limburger, Max Verstappen said:

“I definitely want kids and if they want to race, that’s fine. I do think I would do it differently than how my father and I handled it…”

He added:

“I don’t see that happening at the moment. But for me, it’s easy to talk because I don’t have children. Maybe I think very differently when the time comes. But, the passion he had went very far. He did everything for me. Tuning engines, preparing karts. I don’t see myself doing that.”

Max Verstappen believes it would be a disadvantage for him if he pushed his son or daughter to race, as he might not be able to focus on his own racing.

Verstappen and Penelope share a guardian-daughter relationship. Born on July 17, 2019, Penelope has been a huge part of Verstappen’s life, which is evident in her occasional appearances during events.

Racing and speed run in Verstappen’s blood

Despite having it tough with his father and former F1 driver Jos Verstappen in his childhood, Verstappen credits his father for making him the man he is today. His mother Sophie is no stranger to the racing world either.

Go karting since her childhood, Sophie Kumpen raced in the Formula A championship at the age of 16 and finished ninth. Eddie Jordan, a former F1 team owner, once attributed Verstappen’s driving skillset to his family. In one of his interviews, Eddie said that Verstappen’s efficiency and speed in racing were natural.

Not just his parents, but Verstappen’s uncle was also a part of the racing fraternity. Anthony Kumpen won the GT2 Championship in 1998 and 1999. It goes without saying that racing and speed run in Max Verstappen’s blood.