Dec.17 (GMM) Max Verstappen admits life away from Formula 1 has taken on a new balance, with fatherhood helping him put both victory and defeat into perspective.
Speaking to Viaplay in the wake of his title loss to McLaren’s Lando Norris, the four-time world champion reflected on how becoming a father has changed his outlook – before he returned to the track at Estoril to test a GT3 car.
“I’m a little more relaxed now, I guess,” Verstappen said. “It is more important to spend time with family and to stay at home as much as possible. It’s important to organise your time better.”
The Dutchman appeared notably untroubled by narrowly missing out on a fifth consecutive world title to Norris.
“Don’t be disappointed, because I’m not either,” Verstappen told his interviewers. “Of course, results are important in life, but the most important thing is that you are privately happy and that you see those little ones grow up. That’s fun. I really like that.”
Verstappen now shares family life with partner Kelly Piquet, their baby daughter Lily, and Piquet’s first child Penelope – a presence that has clearly softened his approach to the sport’s highs and lows.
Asked about the less glamorous realities of fatherhood, Verstappen laughed when the topic of diaper-changing came up.
“Pff, luckily not that much, but this morning there was another one, pfoeh!” he joked, miming handing the baby over. “Here Kelly!”