Inside Max Verstappen and Kelly Piquet's Controversial Relationship Timeline

On Dec. 6, Dutch F1 driver Max Verstappen and his girlfriend, Kelly Piquet, announced that they're expecting their first child together. On Instagram, the couple posted a joint photo showing off Kelly's baby bump in black and white with a sweet caption: "Mini Verstappen-Piquet on the way. We couldn’t be happier with our little miracle."

The pair have been together for years, and they're considered to be one of F1's favorite couples.

However, some feel that their relationship history is a bit controversial — particularly, their ages when they got together. So, let's take a look at the timeline of their romance, shall we?

While age gaps in celebrity couples aren't uncommon or inherently unethical, the almost 10-year gap between Kelly and Max is turning heads and earning a few side-eyes.

Why? Because when they met, Kelly was 28 and Max was only 19.

36-year-old Kelly and 27-year-old Max both come from racing families — Max's father is F1 racer Jos Verstappen, and Kelly's father is Brazilian F1 champion Nelson Piquet — meaning that their paths were destined to cross at some point. Their first meeting happened in 2016 in Monaco at a dinner with Kelly's brother, Nelson Jr.

"Something magical happened that night," Kelly said of their meeting to Vogue Netherlands.

However, they didn't begin seeing each other right away. In fact, Kelly began dating F1 driver Daniil Kvyat one year later in 2017. The couple dated for two years before welcoming their daughter, Penelope, and splitting up in 2019.

Just one year later, 32-year-old Kelly and 23-year-old Max reconnected.

In January 2021, Max made their relationship social media-official with a romantic photo of the pair on a beach. "Happy New Year, everyone! Let’s make 2021 a year to remember in many ways. Wishing you all success, love and happiness just as I found mine," the caption read.

Since then, both Kelly and Max have used social media to share their love for one another and show off their adorable relationship. Kelly is also often present at Max's races, and she's seemingly not shy about shouting her support of her beau from the rooftops.

In December 2022, two years into their romance, Kelly opened up about her relationship with Max and their age gap to Vogue Netherlands: "I think we have a very healthy relationship, easygoing, we have a lot of understanding and support for each other."

"You would think the age difference could be a challenge," she continued, "but so far, things are going really well. I also really appreciate how he treats Penelope. It's so sweet to see. He always asks for her, always visits her to say hello when he leaves, and gets her love back. So cute!"

Despite naysayers, with news of their first child together on the way, Max and Kelly's fans and family have done nothing but gush with love and support in their comments.

"So happy to welcome another one in the family," said Max's mother, Sophie Kumpen.