Verstappen, Piquet, socials — Photo: © IMAGO

Miami Grand Prix

Max Verstappen misses Miami Grand Prix day after baby update issued

The Dutchman is expecting the arrival of his first child with partner Kelly Piquet

Kevin McKenna

Friday 2 May 2025 03:00

Red Bull have confirmed that Max Verstappen missed Thursday's media day at the Miami Grand Prix due to an exciting family commitment.

Drivers typically show up at the track on the Thursday of a race weekend to answer questions from the press, but Verstappen was conspicuous by his absence in Miami.

Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris are among the big names who made an appearance, with George Russell and Yuki Tsunoda also featuring.

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Verstappen's last outing in front of the world's media came following the Saudi Arabia GP, where a five-second penalty in the early stages saw him give up the lead to Oscar Piastri, who went on to win his third race of the campaign and take top spot in the drivers' standings.

After the race, a clearly disgruntled Verstappen refused to comment, insisting that it would be better for everyone concerned - most notably the FIA - if he didn't offer his verdict on the decision.

Baby Verstappen on the way?

Any ongoing gripe with the FIA, however, has been put firmly on the backburner, with the arrival of his first child with partner Kelly Piquet expected imminently.

And on Thursday, Red Bull released a statement providing fans with an update which read: "Max will not be attending media day in Miami as he is expecting a baby.

"All is well and he will attend track tomorrow for the race weekend. We will not be offering any further comment at this time in respect towards the privacy of Max and his family."

The 64-time race winner has made no secret of his excitement ahead of the upcoming arrival, joking that he will have to find a way to cope with months of sleepless nights.

It had been suggested that he would be forced to miss some races following the birth, but Verstappen insisted he had no plans to do so.

He is currently third in the championship going into this weekend's race in Florida, where he aims to secure just a second win of what has been a largely frustrating season to date.

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Red Bull Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Lando Norris FIA George Russell