Kelly Piquet goes deep on online criticism, and takes hard line on what is 'off limits'

Kelly Piquet

Kelly Piquet goes deep for the first time on online trolls and takes hard line on what is 'off limits'

Fascinating insight

Graham Shaw Consultant Editor

Digital sports specialist running global brands for 30 years

Saturday 11 July 2026 15:57 Updated: 22:46

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Kelly Piquet has grown increasingly immune to the barrage of social media criticism but Max Verstappen's partner does have one very clear red line.

The 37-year-old Brazilian model and influencer has been F1 paddock royalty for a number of years and now shares a one-year-old baby daughter Lily with the four-time world champion.

Kelly, who had her first daughter Penelope with another F1 star Daniil Kvyat, has opened up for the first time about what it is like living in the fish bowl that is the paddock in 2026.

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While the new interest in the sport spawned by 'Drive to Survive' has doubtless brought new opportunities for all, it has also brought added scrutiny and sadly daily criticism from online trolls.

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'As I get older I care less about criticism'

In a refreshingly open and candid podcast appearance on 'Not Alone' with Valeria Lipovetsky, Kelly went deep about her life and the challenges she deals with on a daily basis.

The scrutiny from social media was just one of the threads explored, with Kelly talking about her relationship with her fans (she has 2.5million Instagram followers alone).

Explaining that she only shares a small glimpse of her life in Monaco with Verstappen and the children, she added: "Honestly, I feel that as I get older, I care less about criticism because it's just a small part of what we show compared to reality.

"I'm very confident about what is true and if someone kind of doesn't like what I'm doing or what I'm wearing, how how I look, I there's not much I can do about it."

There is one thing that is 'off limits'

While Piquet can easily dismiss superficial critiques, she draws a hard line when it comes to her family.

Ever protective as a mother to six-year-old Penelope and one-year-old Lily, she refuses to entertain any lies or attacks on her loved ones.

"The only problem I have is when there are lies and when a situation is twisted into something that is not.

"And of course like my children are completely off limits, you know, come after me but leave my children out of it."

Kelly and Max with Penelope and baby Lily.

Taking on the 'keyboard warriors'

Although Piquet has occasionally engaged with so-called 'keyboard warriors', she has learned the hard way that such disputes often lead nowhere:

"From time to time, I've done some answering on comments - when I think something is outrageous I'll just answer. But then it just keeps going and it's endless.

“If someone insists on seeing everything through a negative lens and only wants to focus on the worst, you’re never going to change their mind. What I am I gonna do? Invite them for coffee?"

Despite her reticence to now take on critics, she is at pains to point out she is always open to respectful debate.

“I’m all for a respectful discussion. If you disagree with me, that’s fine - let’s talk about it,” she said.

As for the trolls who still find fault with what she does, what she says or how she looks, Kelly has one very simple suggestion.

"If you’re not enjoying what you see, just hit the unfollow button.”

Kelly has always been motorsport royalty

Piquet has lived in the public eye since the moment she was born in Germany back in 1988, as the daughter of three-time F1 world champion Nelson Piquet.

Her brother Nelson Piquet Jr also carved out a career on the F1 grid, driving for Renault in 2008 and 2009.

F1 Max Verstappen Kelly Piquet