F1 star Max Verstappen arrives in Miami only a few hours after he announced the birth of his first daughter – with director who came from France in private jet before he prepares to go on the track tonight

Max Verstappen Arrived in Miami prior to Sunday’s Grand Prix, only a few hours after he announced the birth of his first child.

The Dutch driver missed media obligation yesterday after he welcomed his daughter Lily with girlfriend Kelly Piquet in France, where Red Bull announced his absence times before he appeared.

There were concern that the reigning world champion, who hunts for a fifth consecutive driver’s title, perhaps the qualifications of this evening, but the 27-year-old hit Miami in Miami on Friday afternoon.

Formula 1 posted a video of the 27-year-old who arrived at the circuit on X, with the caption: “The newest father of the paddock arrived!”

A normal racing weekend will have practice sessions on Friday, but the sprint format from Miami means that competitive driving on Friday evening starts.

Verstappen is third in the F1 Leaderboard after five rounds of the season and lives in Monaco with partner Piquet.

Max Verstappen only arrived in Miami for a few hours after he announced the birth of his first child

The Dutch driver welcomed his daughter Lily with girlfriend Kelly Piquet in Monaco yesterday

Yesterday, users of social media Verstappen’s Jet to Nice traced, amid fear that the Red Bull Driver would not arrive in Miami on time.

The F1 star announced the birth this afternoon next to an Instagram post, where he wrote: ‘Welcome to the world, Sweet Lily. Our hearts are fuller than ever – you are our biggest gift. We love you so much. ‘

While Lily is Max’s first child, Model Piquet, 36, already has a daughter, Penelope, born in 2019, from her previous relationship with Formula 1 driver Daniil Kvyat, 30.

Verstappen will join Nico Hulkenberg as the only drivers with children at the F1 grid.

Asked if he had advice for Verstappen as a new parent, the Kick Sauber driver answered: “I hope it is a good sleeper.”

In the meantime, his rivals banned all suggestions that he will be less competitive after the birth of his daughter.

Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton said: “I just wish him the very best. It’s so great, special thing. I spoke briefly with him in Saudi and saw how excited he was. Big congratulations him. ‘

Hulkenberg added: ‘I feel that as soon as we get into the car – visor, go out – even for me, I tend to forget what happens outside because we are just so focused and so driven to perform and maximize.

Verstappen is the reigning world champion that this year hunts for a fifth consecutive driver’s title

Verstappen finished second in last month’s Grand Prix in Jeddah, with Piaastri at the top

‘I just have the feeling that it is extra advantage because it gives me so much outside of work and be outside of Formula 1. So I would even say it is a bit useful for me, if there is something. “

Kevin Magnussen and Verstappen’s former Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez are also fathers, but lost their seats at the end of the 2024 season.

Verstappen goes to the Miami Grand Prix in third place in the season classification, hidden between McLaren’s Lando Norris and Mercedes’s George Russell. Oscar Piastri is at the top of the table after his victory in Jeddah.

This weekend’s Grand Prix is ​​the first of three races in the season in the US.