Verstappen admits home is like a 'zoo' after baby Lily arrival

Max Verstappen has revealed the impact that new baby Lily has had on his household, describing it as a ‘zoo’.

Verstappen became a father for the first time earlier this month, when partner Kelly Piquet gave birth to a baby daughter, who the pair have opted to call Lily.

Piquet and Verstappen have been together since 2020, and Brazilian model and influencer Piquet is regularly seen at race weekends cheering on her partner, who has won four Formula 1 world championships since being with Piquet.

The Brazilian is also the daughter of three-time world champion Nelson Piquet, meaning little Lily has incredible racing pedigree in her family, although Verstappen has already suggested that he doesn’t want her going down the same path as he has.

Now, Verstappen has described what the new arrival has meant for the family dynamic in the household, with the pair already having plenty of pets, and Piquet also having an older daughter.

“Yes, everything is going well, everything is fine,” Verstappen told Viaplay. “It’s really a zoo at home now. The cat and the dog find it all interesting. The cat keeps trying to jump into the stroller. Then you have to keep a bit of distance from it.”

Verstappen also confirmed that Piquet’s other daughter, Penelope, who is fathered by another former Red Bull star in Daniil Kvyat, likes being a sister: “She’s the big sister now, she likes that.”

Is Verstappen changing nappies?

Four-time champion Verstappen missed media day on the Thursday of the Miami Grand Prix weekend, with Red Bull confirming it was because of the birth of Lily.

The Dutchman then went and secured a fourth-place finish in Miami before heading back home to his family, where he has had two weeks to spend with the newborn and his partner before the Emilia Romagna GP next weekend.

However, that doesn’t mean he’s been taking on a hands-on approach at home. When asked by Viaplay if he’s been changing nappies, the 27-year-old replied: “Kelly has it all under control.”

Verstappen continued on his daughter’s birth: “Kelly had to stay in the hospital for a few more days, that’s a bit of a protocol in Monaco.

“But everything actually went very smoothly. You don’t really know what to expect. You can be positive, negative, there can be complications, you never know. But it all went very smoothly.”