Verstappen set for 'debut as father': How did F1 drivers do after the birth of their first child?

Verstappen joins an exclusive group on the current F1 grid, as until yesterday, only Nico Hulkenberg had a daughter. The German was also asked during the media day in Miami to give advice to the defending world champion.

Hulkenberg's daughter was born in 2021, when he was absent from the competition. He replaced Lance Stroll after the Canadien sustained an injury for the first two weekends of the 2022 season at Aston Martin. At the Bahrain GP, where he first competed as a father, the German finished in P17 after qualifying in the same position.

There were more fathers on the grid the previous season, but both Sergio Perez and Kevin Magnussen left the competition after the 2024 season concluded.

Perez, who is also currently rumoured to return, has four children with Carola Martinez. After the birth of his son in December 2017, Perez kicked off the 2018 season with finishing in P11 at the Australian Grand Prix.

Magnussen first child, also a daughter, was born ahead of the 2021 season. The Danish driver was not competing in F1 at the time, but finished fifth at the 24 hours of Daytona race. His first F1 weekend as a father, similarly to Hulkenberg's was at the 2022 Bahrain GP, where he finished in P5.

In a recent interview, Sebastian Vettel revealed that his kids do not want him to return to F1. Vettel's first child, daughter Emilie was born in January 2014. During the season opener in Australia, the German had to retire his car because of a power unit issue.