Kelly Piquet stunned F1 fans by saying just one word to help Max Verstappen overcome the pressure and win an emotional victory at the Azerbaijan GP that stunned the world.
BAKU-In a weekend full of chaos and unexpected twists, Max Verstappen re-enchanted the Formula 1 world with a dominant victory on the Baku City Circuit. The Dutch driver of Red Bull took pole position in a qualifying session that was full of red flags and crashes, and then led from start to finish during the Grand Prix of Azerbaijan. But behind this triumph school a personal story that touched the hearts of fans: the support of his partner Kelly Piquet, who lifted the pressure of his shoulders with just one word.
It was a session to frame, or rather: to crash. The qualification for the Azerbaijan GP on Saturday 20 September 2025 lasted almost two hours and had a record number of six red flags. Reigning champion Oscar Piastri van McLaren, leader in the World Cup stand, rammed the wall in turn 3 during Q3, which earned him nine starting places. Charles Leclerc of Ferrari soon followed with a crash, and also Pierre Gasly, Franco Colapinto and Esteban Ocon found the Barriers. Lando Norris, Piastri’s teammate and title candidate, could not take full advantage and qualified as seventh after a piece of small mistakes. Verstappen retained his cold -bloodedness in the chaos. With a perfect round of 1: 41.117, he clocked the fastest time, for Williams driver Carlos Sainz in second place and Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson third. “This was pure survival,” said Verstappen afterwards. “The wind, the rain showers – it was like racing on ice. But I felt strong in the car.”
The race started on Sunday with even more drama. Verstappen left pole and kept the lead, while Piastri hit the wall in the opening round in turn 5 and ended his race early. This incident, possibly with far -reaching consequences for the title race, left McLaren empty -handed. Norris climbed to the eighth place at the start, but could not get closer. Verstappen built up a comfortable lead, while Mercedes’ George Russell and Sainz competed for second place. A safety car after a collision between Yuki Tsunoda and Kimi Antonelli shook the field, but Verstappen responded perfectly to Red Bull’s pit stop strategy. He changed to fresh medium tires and returned to the race with a lead of more than ten seconds. “The car felt great,” he grinned. “We needed the upgrades after a heavy seasonal start.”
Behind him a fierce fight. Russell passed Sainz in the 40th round after a handsome catch -up maneuver in the long straight pieces of Baku, while Lawson took his best result ever with a fifth place, under pressure from Leclerc and Norris. The British McLaren driver climbed to sixth, but could not close the gap to the top. Ferrari’s Leclerc finished seventh, followed by Antonelli and Hadjar. The race ended without further incidents, with Verstappen, who crossed the measurement line with a 25 second lead. It was his sixth victory of the season and the second in a row after Italy. In the championship, his backlog at Piastri is now shrinking to 69 points, with seven more races to go. “This feels like a breakthrough,” said team boss Christian Horner. “Max is back in the title fight.”
But what made this victory extra special was the emotional layer behind it. Verstappen, who struggled this season with the pressure of a dominant McLaren and internal Red Bull voltages, looked like a slump for the race. In De Paddock, away from the cameras, he found comfort at Kelly Piquet, his partner since 2020 and mother of their daughter Lily, born earlier this year. Piquet, daughter of F1 legend Nelson Piquet, is no stranger in the paddock. She not only supports Verstappen as a model and influencer, but also as a confidant. Before the start of the race, when the tensions rose – with reports about team conflicts and the pressure of a shrinking title race – she whispered to him one word: “Faith.” Fans, who saw this intimate moment through a leaked excerpt on social media, were stunned. “Kelly’s” faith “was the key,” tweeted a fan. “She knows his weaknesses and makes him unbeatable.”
Piquet himself later shared a photo of Verstappen in the Parc Fermé on Instagram, with the caption “Keep them showing” – a nod to his resilience. The word “faith” went viral, with thousands of fans who saw it as a symbol of the mental struggle in F1. Verstappen, often praised for his talent but criticized for his emotional outbursts, rare in the press conference. “Kelly is my anchor,” he admitted, while his grandmother – present in Baku – kicked tears away from the national anthem. “This season was tough, with the baby and the pressure. That one word … It did wonders. It reminds me why I do this.” His grandmother, a silent presence in his life, emotionally hugs him on stage, a rare family moment in the glamor world of F1.
The victory in Azerbaijan was more than scoring points; It was a statement. Red Bull, which struggled with reliability problems, showed resilience with this 1-2 in the Constructors (Verstappen for teammate Sergio Perez, who fell outside the points). McLaren lost ground: Piastri’s DNF cost him 25 crucial points, and Norris could not be closer. Ferrari and Mercedes lick their wounds, with Sainz as a silver edge for Williams. Baku, with his tight walls and long sprints, once again proved why it is one of the most unpredictable circuits. “This circuit punishes mistakes,” said Russell, second in the race. “Max didn’t make one.”
For Verstappen, four -time world champion, this victory feels like a catharsis. After a summer full of speculation about his future at Red Bull and the arrival of his child, he seems reborn. Piquet’s support, embodied in that one word, underlines how crucial the personal front is in a sport where milliseconds and mindset make the difference. Fans worldwide, from the Netherlands to Brazil, not only celebrate the driver, but the man behind it. “Faith” – the word that shocked the world and recovered a champion.
The F1 caravan is now going to Singapore, where the heat and the night circuit promise new challenges. But after Baku one thing is certain: Max Verstappen is back, stronger than ever. And with Kelly by his side, nothing seems impossible.
