Max Verstappen and GF Kelly Piquet Get a Third Pet; Verstappen Reveals the Kitten’s Name

Max Verstappen (NED, Oracle Red Bull Racing 1) USA, Formel 1 Weltmeisterschaft, Grand Prix von Las Vegas, Las Vegas Strip Circuit, Medientag, 20.11.2024

Max Verstappen and Kelly Piquet have welcomed a new member into their family—a four-legged delight that brings the total number of pets in their Monaco home to three.

Verstappen shared this exciting news ahead of the Las Vegas GP weekend through a video posted by Red Bull on Instagram. The new pet, a kitten, has been given a rather distinctive name.

“Is it true that you’ve got a new cat,” Verstappen was asked, to which he responded with a yes. When asked about the name, Verstappen replied, “It does have a name.. Donatello.”

Verstappen’s love for cats is well-known. He already has two Bengal cats named Jimmy and Sassy, both of whom have made appearances during his famous live-streams. Once, while the 27-year-old was sim-racing, he even joked, “I hope the cat doesn’t jump behind my brake pedal because it will become a pancake.” Thankfully, neither did.

He went on to say, “I call them Lewis and Toto,” in what was a light-hearted remark aimed at his then-on-track rival Lewis Hamilton, with whom he shared an intense battle for the World Championship in 2021. A true example of the Dutchman’s wit.

Verstappen to Jimmy and Sassy’s rescue

Verstappen isn’t just playful with his furry friends, he’s also very protective. During a live stream from 2021, Verstappen was seen keeping an eye out for Jimmy and Sassy while Piquet’s daughter Penelope played with them.

Soon, he was heard firmly, but calmy intervening when Penelope got too rough. “Ah! Penelope, easy, easy! You have to be easy. Don’t destroy them like that. Yeah, don’t hit the cat. Yeah, that’s a cat. Penelope, hello. What are you doing? Calm your T’s,” Verstappen said.

Donatello, the latest addition to his household, could expect similar treatment from the Red Bull driver.

Post Edited By: Somin Bhattacharjee
Kelly Piquet Max Verstappen

About the author

Veerendra Vikram Singh

Veerendra Singh is a senior Formula 1 journalist at TheSportsRush, with a passion for the sport that goes back to 2008. His extensive coverage and deep understanding of the sport are evident in the more than 900 articles he has written so far on the sport and its famous personalities like Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Toto Wolff, Charles Leclerc and more... When he's not at his work desk, Veerendra likes to spend time with his two feline friends and watch races from the Formula 1 and MotoGP archive. He is always up for a conversation about motorsport so you can hit him up anytime on his social media handles for a quick word.

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