Verstappen officially enters 'Dad in training' mode

©KellyPiquet

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©KellyPiquet

Max Verstappen may have conquered the Formula 1 world with four titles by the age of 27, but his next challenge promises to be his most rewarding yet: fatherhood.

The Dutch racing star and his partner, Kelly Piquet, recently announced they're expecting their first child together, sending fans into overdrive faster than a Red Bull pit stop.

“Yeah, it's super exciting, of course,” Verstappen shared on the Talking Bulls podcast. “Luckily, I did get a little bit of training with Penelope.”

Max was referring to Piquet's five-year-old daughter from her previous relationship with former F1 driver Daniil Kvyat. Over the past four years, Verstappen has built a strong bond with Penelope, who's clearly been a valuable "mini coach" for his parenting prep.

“Seeing her grow up really for like, four years, which has also been really, really nice. But yeah, for sure, when it's like, it's going to be fully your own, it's going to be a different challenge, but I'm looking forward to it.”

©Instagram

In typical Verstappen humor, he addressed jokes about his unborn child already being signed up by Red Bull.

“I need to speak to Christian about that,” he quipped. “Because I actually don't want him or her to go into racing. Maybe a different role in the team. Maybe he or she can design future cars or whatever. I mean, yeah, you never know, right?”

While his F1 career roars on, Verstappen's excitement about this upcoming chapter proves there's one title that might just eclipse “world champion” — “Dad.”

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.