Max Verstappen opened up about his first year as a father and revealed how the arrival of his daughter Lily changed his perspective on life outside of Formula 1. The four-time world champion stated that he intends to give his daughter complete freedom to choose her own path in the future.
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Although he already had experience living as a father figure to little Penelope, Kelly Piquet’s daughter, Verstappen explained that the experience with Lily brought new reflections on education and privacy. The Red Bull driver emphasized that he does not intend to pressure his daughter regarding sports, even coming from a family strongly connected to motorsport.
“The most important thing is always to be yourself,” Verstappen told the newspaper De Telegraaf. “She needs to be free to decide what she likes to do later. Many parents push their children in a specific direction, especially in sports. I think that is exactly what you should not do.”
The Dutchman acknowledged that sports practice can be positive for children, both for health and discipline, but stressed that family values are also fundamental. “Playing sports is good, it helps maintain health and prevents you from doing stupid things. But I also think it’s important to be kind to your family and remember that not everyone will be here forever,” he explained.
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Son of former driver Jos Verstappen, Max said he intends to protect Lily from public exposure while she is not old enough to decide for herself. “I don’t want to put her in photos now. Later she can decide if she wants that or not,” he highlighted.
Verstappen also revealed that he prefers to keep his daughter away from the paddock at this moment. “She won’t even remember it afterwards. Besides, I think a lot about privacy. A baby needs to have a carefree life,” he concluded.
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