Max Verstappen asserts that his pole position achievement at the Miami Grand Prix serves as definitive proof that becoming a father for the first time has not diminished his performance or speed as a racing driver.
The Dutch Red Bull driver, currently pursuing his fifth consecutive world championship, secured his second pole position of the season in Miami.
Verstappen had been granted permission to miss the usual media day on Thursday in Miami, as he postponed his arrival in the United States to remain alongside his partner, Kelly Piquet, following the recent birth of her daughter, Lily, earlier that week.
In his absence on Thursday, members of the media questioned some of Verstappen`s competitors on whether they believed fatherhood might impact his approach or speed on the track.
Reflecting on the time spent at home before the race weekend, Verstappen commented, “It`s been good to be able to spend a few days at home before coming here. When she’s just born, you want to make sure everything is okay.”
He directly addressed the speculation about his speed, stating, “Clearly it didn`t make me slower as well, being a dad. So, that`s a positive.”
He added that this notion that fatherhood might slow him down can now be disregarded.
Verstappen mentioned staying in close contact with his girlfriend throughout the day, exchanging pictures and video calls. “It`s always there,” he said, acknowledging the new family dynamic, “but now one more member in the family.”
His rivals, when questioned on Thursday, had uniformly responded that they did not anticipate Verstappen`s pace to diminish due to becoming a parent.
The idea that having a family could affect a driver`s bravery was notably brought up by Fernando Alonso in 2005. Alonso suggested at the time that Michael Schumacher might have backed off during a battle at a high-speed corner in Suzuka because the seven-time champion “had a wife and two kids at home.”
Expanding on his earlier remarks regarding the speculation, Verstappen firmly stated, “I don`t really listen to these kind of silly things. I just do my thing.”
He pointed out that numerous racing drivers throughout history have become world champions even after having children.
“Honestly, I don`t even know where that comes from,” he concluded about the origin of such speculation.
Red Bull Boss Praises Verstappen`s Focus
Christian Horner, the team principal at Red Bull, commended Verstappen`s “ability to focus” following his 43rd career pole position.
Horner told Sky Sports F1 (paraphrased), “He`s walking a step higher… welcoming a beautiful little girl into the world is a massive thing for him.” However, he added, “But as we see time and time again, when he crosses that line into the garage and puts his helmet on, everything disappears.”
He described Verstappen`s capacity for focus and performance delivery as “insane” and genuinely impressive.
Verstappen on Compartmentalizing
Verstappen, who finished outside the points in the earlier Sprint race after a team error during a pit stop, later explained how he manages to separate different aspects of his life, noting that he avoids excessive emotion in many situations.
He acknowledged that his new baby is an exception, admitting he had never felt “that nervous in a resting heart rate state.”
However, he contrasted this with racing, stating, “But racing, I`ve been doing it for so long that nothing really spooks you anymore.”
He reiterated a long-held view that achieving his dreams in the sport, such as winning races and titles, has made him much more relaxed. “Even when you have a bad day, it doesn`t really matter,” he said. “It`s about how you fix things, how you move on from it, and it just calms you down. You just focus on the next thing, and that`s what qualifying was.”
