Verstappen Says Kelly Piquet Understands Demands of Racing Schedule
Max Verstappen says Kelly Piquet understands how busy he is on the track and does not object to his extra racing plans. The Red Bull driver also spoke about spending time with his father, Jos, after his first F1 win of the 2026 season, as he tries to balance racing with family time.
Max Verstappen’s racing schedule makes it hard to organize time with family. Kelly Piquet understands the demands and does not mind if Verstappen adds to his racing calendar, the Red Bull driver told media at the F1 Singapore GP.
The comments came after Verstappen took his first F1 win of the 2026 season. He said the victory was a chance to spend time with his father, Jos, whom he has rarely seen one-on-one lately because of race schedules and family commitments.
Verstappen has also confirmed plans to race in GT3 with Verstappen Racing at Portimao after the F1 Singapore GP weekend. The commitment will give him seven straight race weekends, with two F1 triple-headers on either side, according to a Sports Yahoo report.
Kelly Piquet understands racing life
Verstappen said the Piquet family’s background in racing helps his partner understand the demands of his job. He also said they are trying to find ways for racing to run alongside family time.
“I think it helps that she comes out of a family that races a lot,” Verstappen said, referring to Piquet.
He said they try to combine family activities with race weekends when possible. Verstappen added that Piquet understands he needs to feel good and happy, while the two try to find compromises so they can spend time together.
“She doesn't mind it, I think she likes racing, it's not that she's against it so that helps,” he said.
For the family, the packed schedule means time together has to be found in the gaps between travel and competition. Verstappen’s comments suggest racing is not just a job: he tries to keep his family involved in part of the race weekends, even though back-to-back events limit free time.
Time with his father after the win
Verstappen said he did not celebrate the win with a party. He chose to spend time with Jos, talking and resting after the race. The moment felt meaningful because, he said, they have not had much time alone together lately.
“No party, just spending a bit of time actually with my dad,” Verstappen told media at the F1 Singapore GP.
He added that after the race, rest and the chance to disconnect briefly from the routine are also important. Verstappen said many races remain, so he wants to use the time to recover before returning to the track.
Before the GT3 plan at Portimao, Verstappen took part in an NLS round at the Nordschleife earlier in the year, according to a Sports Yahoo report. The run of race commitments he described now stands at seven straight weekends.
“So we're trying to see what we can do there,” Verstappen said, referring to the effort to combine racing and family time.
