Watch: Max Verstappen kisses Kelly Piquet after securing pole position for the F1 Italian GP

Max Verstappen walked over to his girlfriend, Kelly Piquet, after securing pole for the 2025 Italian Grand Prix, as the couple shared a kiss to celebrate the driver's achievement. The Dutchman broke the all-time track record at Monza to claim what was his fifth pole position of the 2025 F1 season.

Max Verstappen secured a 45th career pole at the Italian GP, edging out Lando Norris by 0.077 seconds amid a tight qualifying in Monza on Saturday, September 6. Championship leader Oscar Piastri ended up third, while Ferrari home favorite Charles Leclerc was fourth.

After the session, Verstappen jumped out of his car and went over to greet a special someone in the parc ferme shortly after. Sky Sports shared a video of the moment Verstappen walked towards girlfriend Kelly Piquet after the qualifying session on Saturday, as the couple shared a kiss and a cuddle.

Piquet also reshared this video via her Instagram story after the qualifying session.

Screen grab via Kelly Piquet's Instagram story [via Instagram/@kellypiquet]

Piquet also shared an adorable picture of herself standing outside of Verstappen's garage at Monza via her Instagram story.

This marked Kelly Piquet's first appearance in the F1 paddock since the birth of her daughter, Lily. She and Max Verstappen became parents in the first week of May earlier this year.

Verstappen managed to shock many onlookers upon Piquet's return to the paddock. Most people had expected the McLaren duo of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris to lock out the front row in Monza, but the reigning F1 world champion had other plans.

Thanks to his lap record around the legendary Italian circuit, Verstappen now holds the record for the fastest lap in F1 history, as he managed to maintain an average speed of 264.682 km/h for his pole lap around "The Temple of Speed".

Max Verstappen aims to "give it everything" for race win after qualifying on pole for the Italian GP

Max Verstappen after securing pole position for the Italian Grand Prix - Source: Getty

Max Verstappen claimed that he was happy with his Red Bull car and performance during the qualifying session at the Italian GP. The 4x world champion also added that he will give it everything to try and get the best possible result during the race on Sunday.

Speaking in the post-qualifying interview, Verstappen shared his delight at claiming pole at Monza.

"Q3 felt good. Happy with the laps. The car has been working a lot better all weekend and to be on pole I'm very happy with that. For us, it's a great moment," said Verstappen.

"Historically this season the race has been a little more complicated for us but we will give it everything we have," he added.

Lando Norris, who finished second, also broke the old lap record set by Lewis Hamilton at Monza in 2020, with his 1:18.869 lap time. This was not enough to beat Verstappen on the day, though, as the Briton claimed that "It's never a surprise" to see his rival and friend on pole position.

About the author

Samyak Sharma is a Motorsports journalist at Sportskeeda, covering Formula One and IndyCar. A graduate in Mass Media and Journalism, he aims to transform his lifelong passion for playing and following sports into a thriving career in sports journalism. He believes that sports naturally deliver the most compelling stories, needing no script to captivate the world.

Samyak is dedicated to providing detailed and insightful coverage, keeping an eye on all developments on and off the track to ensure timely and accurate reporting. He closely follows Max Verstappen, inspired by the Dutchman's ability to balance precision and aggression on the track.

Samyak envisions the continued growth of motorsports globally and hopes to see Formula One return to the V8 engines while still continuing to be sustainable. As for IndyCar, he envisions greater international exposure to rival the global reach of F1.

Outside the world of motorsports, Samyak immerses himself in his love for football and cricket, passionately cheering for his favorite team, Manchester United. He also enjoys catching the occasional tennis match, broadening his appreciation for sports.

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Edited by Sumeet Kavthale