Max Verstappen reveals Kelly Piquet reaction to latest Nordschleife outing

Max Verstappen has revealed the reaction of his long-time partner, Kelly Piquet, when he informed her he would still be racing in April despite two F1 cancellations.

For the first time since the COVID-struck 2020 season, F1 has seen no grands prix in April following the cancellation of races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia due to the current conflict in the Middle East.

It has seen the vast majority of the F1 grid enjoy downtime, less so for Lance Stroll and Verstappen.

Stroll took part in a GT race earlier this month at Circuit Paul Ricard, while Verstappen is at the Nordschleife this weekend for the two qualifying races ahead of May's 24-hour event.

Unsurprisingly, the four-time world champion did hold conversations with his family ahead of this weekend's event, particularly when Piquet assumed the cancellation of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia meant the Dutchman would have more free time.

"Those things, of course, I have to address at home. And so far it's apparently going well," Verstappen said on the Viaplay show An Evening with Max Verstappen.

"Kelly said, 'Oh, there are two races dropping.' I said, 'Yes that's right, but.... I have one weekend scheduled that I will race again anyway. 

"Then she looked at me like, 'Yes, do I have to?' And then I said, 'Yes, I have to."

While Verstappen's 24 Hours of Nürburgring commitments are keeping him away from home for longer, the 28-year-old insists that time with his partner is being made up.

When asked if he should do anything to compensate, for example, by taking an extra week's vacation, Verstappen said: "I think we are compensating well."