F1 News: Fatherhood makes 'happy' Verstappen faster

(GMM) Fatherhood has not slowed Red Bull driver Max Verstappen down, Helmut Marko and Lando Norris insist.

Despite sitting out Thursday’s proceedings in Miami in order to spend precious extra time with the newly-born Lily in Monaco, the quadruple world champion recovered from a difficult sprint race to take pole for the Miami GP.

“I was hoping he was going to slow down a little bit,” smiled McLaren’s Lando Norris, P2, “but clearly he didn’t.”

Second placed qualifier Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren and Pole position qualifier Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing talk in the Drivers Press Conference during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Miami at Miami International Autodrome on May 03, 2025 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool //

Verstappen, 27, was enraged just a fortnight ago in Saudi Arabia about his 5-second penalty, but Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko admits the Dutchman is in a particularly good mood in the USA.

“Clearly it didn’t make me slower” 👀

Adding one more member to the family hasn’t slowed Max down one bit 💨#F1 #MiamiGP pic.twitter.com/UbgnkBdgcq

— Formula 1 (@F1) May 3, 2025

“He is completely relaxed and is enjoying being a father,” the 82-year-old told Sky Deutschland.

“He showed me the pictures of the little one, with the dog and the cat. He is happy, and you can tell.

“And Max has not become three tenths slower, but two tenths faster,” Marko laughed.

In conversation with Viaplay, Verstappen explained that – together with girlfriend Kelly Piquet – he wanted to take a typically simple and straightforward approach to naming the baby.

“At some point Lily just sounded nice,” he said. “Nice and short, and she doesn’t have a middle name, just Lily and the last name.”

It is not clear if the full name is Lily Verstappen or Lily Verstappen-Piquet, but Mercedes boss Toto Wolff certainly knows what approach he would take if Max has plans for a motorsport future for the youngster.

“If she were to call herself Piquet-Verstappen, that’s great for marketing,” he smiled.

Verstappen also clarified that, although Lily was born in Monaco, that does not mean she is Monegasque like Charles Leclerc. “She will get a Dutch and Brazilian passport,” he said.

“Let’s just keep it simple,” he smiled.

So simple, so far, that he is yet to change a diaper. “Kelly had everything under control,” he laughed, admitting his girlfriend’s pregnancy even caused him to become a little lazier about his own diet.

“I have also been a bit pregnant, so I am a bit at the limit with my weight,” he said. “Now I just have to brake a bit later in turn 1.”