Formula 1 superstar Max Verstappen has taken an unusual step in addressing his private life, driven by the persistent and vile rumours about his girlfriend, Kelly Piquet. The Brazilian model and daughter of three-time Formula 1 World Champion Nelson Piquet has recently found herself at the centre of a social media storm, prompting her to make an emotional plea on her social media channels.
Piquet has been targeted with ugly claims regarding her previous relationships, particularly with former Formula 1 driver Daniil Kvyat, and has faced unwarranted speculation about her four-year-old daughter, Penelope. This barrage of negativity has been exacerbated by fan channels on TikTok, which have fueled the rumours and attributed distasteful comments to Piquet.
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In a lengthy statement on her Instagram profile, Piquet vehemently denied the accusations, labelling the comments as "defamation." She expressed the toll that public trolling and cyber abuse have taken on her, stating that she could no longer ignore the malicious speculation.
Verstappen, who rarely comments on his personal life, showed his support for Piquet by responding to her post with a heartfelt message. "This has to stop," he wrote. "These false accusations by certain individuals on Instagram and TikTok are insane and ridiculous at the same time. Hate has no place in this world. We know what’s true within our family and we are very happy together. I love you."
Did Kelly Piquet dig a hole for herself?
The controversy took an unusual twist when fans noted that Verstappen was busy playing 'Call of Duty' at the time the controversial comment attributed to Piquet was posted. This revelation led to further speculation and assumptions that Piquet herself might have commented.
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Fans took to social media platform X to discuss the timing of the incident, suggesting that Piquet had put herself in a difficult position. This incident highlights a significant loophole in Piquet's defence. The curious timing of the comment, coupled with Verstappen's documented gaming activity, has led to public scepticism.
Check out fans’ reactions here -
why couldnt she coordinate better? pic.twitter.com/HA6BixB8sw
— nindi (@veee_ate) June 11, 2024
You don't need to see Max online to know he didn't write that, he doesn't write like this; But people need to leave her alone, calling her a groomer, pedo and making up ages... (so far I've seen max was 10 when they first met, 16, 17..) like give it a rest. People clearly don't-
— 💮 (@qeldliezaldriz) June 11, 2024
people’s obsession with kelly and doing the absolute most to make her parenting look terrible for no reason will always be weird to me
— Max Verstappen WDC '24 (@V3rstapp3n_Max) June 12, 2024
save Max Verstappen he did NOT write this bs 😭😭😭
— ria j. (@plvshtoy) June 11, 2024
especially not while playing COD. Piquet will really do anything pic.twitter.com/W07ab2I5NL
Notably, Piquet, often seen as one of the most glamorous figures in the Formula 1 community, began dating Verstappen in 2020. It was a year before Verstappen won his first Formula 1 World Championship. Despite their high-profile relationship, Piquet has faced increasing scrutiny and cyberbullying over time.