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Max Verstappen and Kelly Piquet have been together for three years now, and Verstappen has also bonded with the latter's five-year-old daughter, Penelope. The Dutchman recently opened up about his relationship with the kid.
Speaking to Time, Verstappen said it was not his aim to be a father to Penelope. He added that it is important for Piquet's daughter to have a strong relationship with her biological father, former F1 Red Bull driver Daniil Kvyat.
When it comes to getting along with the little one, Max Verstappen said the two have a great relationship and that they see each other when they are home.
“I’m not the father, that’s not the aim," he said. "It’s always very important that she has a good relationship with her own father, which she has. But I see her every day when I’m at home. We get on very well. She’s very cute.”
Penelope was born in July 2019, when Kelly Piquet was still with Daniil Kvyat. Her parents separated soon after her birth, and Kelly got together with Max Verstappen in 2020.
The Red Bull star has been seen in several pictures with Kelly Piquet and her daughter. Penelope has even appeared in some of Verstappen's esports team's livestreams, where she warmly but humorously plays the F1 driver while he chats with his teammates and watches the race.
Gianpiero Lambiase on his relationship with Max Verstappen
Speaking on The Talking Bulls podcast, Max Verstappen's race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase claimed that his relationship with the Dutchman has grown over the years, and that it strengthened further after the intense 2021 F1 season.
After an almost eight-year partnership, Lambiase knows exactly what Verstappen needs during race sessions. Lambiase also said the Dutchman is like a little brother to him.
"I think it's only natural after seven, eight years that we know each other inside out and we know what triggers the other one or how to put the arm around the other one's shoulder," he said.
"Since 2020, 2021, it was so intense and the bond was cemented that year and then 2022, 2023 has just been a continuation of that, I see him as my little brother," he added.
Lambiase is quite a popular member of the Red Bull team. He is known for being direct and honest with Verstappen during races.
