Verstappen explains absence from F1 The Movie premiere in NYC

Max Verstappen has revealed that his absence from Monday night’s glitzy premiere of the new Formula 1 Movie in New York City was a deliberate choice to prioritize time with his family – specifically, his newborn daughter, Lily.

While the majority of the Formula 1 grid, along with Hollywood A-listers, turned out for the red carpet event in Times Square, the reigning world champion was a notable absentee.

Verstappen, who finished second at the Canadian Grand Prix the day prior, flew straight home instead of heading to the U.S. for the premiere.

“I’m going home to my daughter,” Verstappen explained when asked about his decision to skip the event, quoted by Crash.net.

Lily, his first child with partner Kelly Piquet, was born just ahead of the Miami Grand Prix last month. Since then, Verstappen has spoken openly about wanting to be more present at home when possible.

Cautious Optimism About the Movie’s Impact

Though Verstappen opted not to attend the event or even the private screening held before the Monaco Grand Prix, he didn’t dismiss the significance of the film itself. The Dutch driver offered his support for the project – albeit on his own terms.

“Whether I will watch that film again at a later time? Maybe yes. If it suits me or if someone else wants to see it, then I'm fine with it. And maybe I will be positively surprised,” he said.

“I also sincerely hope that it is a good and successful film and that it has a positive effect on Formula 1. You just shouldn't force me to go somewhere, because that's not quite how it should be.”

• Read also: Verstappen admits ‘a lot needs to happen’ to catch McLaren

His comments reflect Verstappen’s well-known independent streak, a trait that has often set him apart from his peers when it comes to the commercial and media aspects of the sport.

Verstappen Back on Track – Literally

Despite skipping the Hollywood event and despite his eagerness to spend time with his family, Verstappen wasted no time getting back behind the wheel, according to Crash.net.

Just a day after the premiere, he was in Belgium testing a GT3 car at Spa-Francorchamps. This time, it was an Aston Martin, adding to his growing list of high-performance cars he's driven outside of F1 competition.

In May, Verstappen made headlines by smashing the Nürburgring lap record in a Ferrari GT3, testing under the pseudonym “Franz Hermann.”

As the F1 world eagerly awaits the global release of the Brad Pitt-led F1 Movie, Verstappen’s comments suggest he may tune in – eventually. But for now, family and racing remain firmly at the top of his priority list.

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