Verstappen is finally on his way to Miami.
"He will maintain the same direction."
Max Verstappen has reportedly left Europe for Miami after missing the 'media day' prior to this weekend’s Formula 1 race. Red Bull informed the attending specialist media at the street circuit that the four-time world champion would not take part on Thursday as his girlfriend Kelly "is expecting a baby." A journalist then inquired with Nico Hulkenberg about how it felt to no longer be the only father on the grid, implying that the child, said to be a girl, had already been born.
"Do you know that for sure?" the Sauber driver replied. The actual status of the baby’s birth is still unclear, as Red Bull sources suggested that Kelly's due date was May 6. According to reports from Bild and other outlets, Verstappen's private plane departed from Nice (France), close to his Monaco residence, at 4 PM on Thursday.
Red Bull reassured the media that "all is well" and that the 27-year-old driver, currently third in the championship behind the McLarens, will participate in practice on Friday and compete in the full race weekend. "We will not be making any further comments at this time in respect of the privacy of Max and his family," a spokesperson stated.
One reporter asked Gabriel Bortoleto, a close friend of Verstappen on the grid, if he had any insider information about the birth. "No, I haven’t talked to him in the past few days," the Brazilian responded. "What I can say for sure is that fatherhood will not alter his performance as a driver. I’m confident he won’t drive slower," Bortoleto, 20, added with a laugh. "He may even go faster. His mindset will remain unchanged. He will continue on the same path."
Regarding Verstappen's performance this weekend, team advisor Dr. Helmut Marko expressed concerns that it might not be as competitive as in Saudi Arabia two weeks ago. "We anticipate the conditions will be more favorable to McLaren," he told Speed Week. "Our current task is to develop a wider operating window for our car and to address certain weaknesses before the European races, thereby enhancing the car’s overall speed."
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