Max Verstappen: Our Lily is my best reward

      This year, the Zandvoort racetrack will host the Dutch Grand Prix for the last time, and the Dutch magazine Formule1 has released a special issue to mark this event. Naturally, it features a portrait of Max Verstappen on the cover, and one of the main articles in the issue is an interview with the four-time world champion, discussing not only racing.

      In particular, Max was asked about his experience of fatherhood – last spring, he and Kelly Piquet welcomed their daughter Lily, and the Red Bull Racing driver called her "the best prize" he has received in his life.

      "My little daughter, who stays at home when I leave for races – she is the most important and interesting thing in my life," Verstappen replied. "Our Lily is my best prize. In any case, family is the most important thing for me. I am starting to feel that.

      For example, in the morning when I was flying to the Hungarian Grand Prix, my daughter was standing by the elevator when I had to go down. Then the doors closed, and I felt a rather unpleasant feeling.

      Lily had just woken up; I took her out of the crib, hugged her a little, and then I had to leave. But I understand that this is also part of life. When I was little and my father left, I felt exactly the same way – I remember it. I cried and all that. It was never easy for my father to part with me either.

      But this is such a special period in a person's life, as there will come a time when everything will change, and then my daughter will say, 'Dad, please leave me alone.' And she won't want to be with me anymore..."