Max Verstappen returned to Monaco following the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix to celebrate his stepdaughter Penelope’s seventh birthday. The Red Bull driver secured a second-place finish at the Hungaroring on Sunday, July 27, before heading home for the family occasion.
Verstappen’s podium finish in Hungary marked a significant result for Red Bull Racing. He started the race from fourth position on the grid, benefiting from grid penalties applied to Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Antonelli.
Lando Norris of McLaren claimed victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix, finishing 15.080 seconds ahead of Verstappen. Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli completed the podium in third place.
Despite the strong result, Verstappen described his performance as an ‘overperformance’ given ongoing car issues. He reported the Red Bull car was ‘extremely oversteery’ and suffered from significant tyre degradation throughout the race.
Verstappen stated that the Hungarian Grand Prix was ‘one of the hardest races’ of the 2026 season for him. He credited Red Bull’s strategy, particularly the decision to use soft tyres for the final 29-lap stint.
The second-place finish continues an ‘upward trend’ for Verstappen and Red Bull this season. The team introduced a major upgrade package in Austria three rounds prior to Hungary, which has led to ‘nice improvements’.
Verstappen had previously secured podium finishes in Austria and at Spa-Francorchamps, where he took third place. He missed another potential podium at Silverstone due to a rear wing issue.
Penelope, born on July 27, 2019, celebrated her seventh birthday on Monday. Her mother, Kelly Piquet, shared messages on social media to mark the special day.
The birthday celebration included a K-Pop themed cake in pink and purple. Penelope also received roller skates as a gift from Verstappen and Piquet, with Verstappen assisting her during her initial attempts.
Penelope is the daughter of Kelly Piquet and former Formula 1 driver Daniil Kvyat. Piquet and Kvyat were in a relationship from January 2017 until their separation in December 2019.
Verstappen and Piquet began dating in late 2020, making their relationship public in January 2021. They first met in Monaco in 2016.
Verstappen maintains a good relationship with Penelope, affectionately referring to her as ‘P’. He has publicly stated, ‘I’m not the father, that’s not the aim,’ emphasizing her bond with her biological father.
Penelope occasionally appears on Verstappen’s sim racing livestreams and has been seen with him in the paddock at Grand Prix events. The family resides in Monaco.
Max Verstappen and Kelly Piquet welcomed their daughter, Lily, in May 2025.
