Daniil Kvyat, Kelly Piquet’s ex-partner, holds no grudges and praises Max Verstappen’s dominance at Red Bull.

Kelly Piquet and Max Verstappen (via F1), Daniil Kvyat (via Autosport)

Max Verstappen has been labeled as a career 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁er, especially for his own teammates at Red Bull. The Dutchman has remained undefeated by his teammates at Milton Keynes ever since the 2018 season. Even with the team’s incessant performance struggles in recent years, the 27-year-old has kept up with his dominance. Now, Verstappen’s girlfriend’s ex, Daniil Kvyat, who was snubbed to make way for the former, has shared his thoughts regarding the reigning world champion’s performances in recent years.

Many capable drivers like Daniel Ricciardo, Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, and Sergio Perez have paired up with Max Verstappen over his decade of driving for Red Bull. So far, none of these drivers have matched up to the 27-year-old as he has showcased no errors in his driving on the track. Many individuals now believe that Verstappen is simply better than any of the drivers coming up in the pinnacle of motorsport.

Daniil Kvyat, who was demoted from Red Bull mid-way through the 2016 season to make way for Max Verstappen, has waged his opinions on the latter’s potential. While Kvyat hasn’t directly raced against the reigning world champion, he did not discount his driving prowess on the track in recent years.

Kvyat reckoned that it would be hard to talk about Verstappen’s potential in the Red Bull challenger when he himself hasn’t driven it recently. Still, he pointed out that the 27-year-old had the whole package in him, ranging from exceptional car sensing to being a fantastic driver overall. The reigning world champion has proved his racing mettle to everyone on the grid, as even drivers who might resent him are now appreciative of him and his results.

I don’t know. It’s hard to say if you haven’t driven that car yourself. I think it’s the whole package. It’s about feeling, sensing the car. And I think he is obviously just a fantastic driver.

Daniil Kvyat said on the F1 Nation PodcastRELATEDZak Brown Gives ‘Far from over’ Title Verdict After Max Verstappen’s Emilia Romagna GP TriumphRed Bull owner applauds Max Verstappen’s Emilia Romagna GP victory

Max Verstappen achieved his 65th win with Red Bull on the occasion of his 400th race with the team. This made the victory even more special as all the Italian fans present didn’t hesitate to celebrate his win in a wholesome manner. Moreover, Verstappen received praises from the Red Bull owner, Mark Mateschitz, who took the throne after the passing away of his father, Dietrich Mateschitz.

Max Verstappen winning the 2025 Emilia Romagna GP (via Red Bull Content Pool)

Mark Mateschitz asserted that Verstappen’s win in Italy will be a memorable weekend for a long time to come. Mateschitz praised the Dutchman’s ability to remain cool and drive with perfection around the grid, ultimately granting him the race win. Subsequently, the 33-year-old highlighted that his late father would be very proud to see the 27-year-old and his recent performances.

This was a very memorable weekend. The 400th race for the team, and then striking in this way. Max drove great and kept his cool. My father would have been proud.

Mark Mateschitz told De Telegraaf

The 2025 season has just begun, and Max Verstappen has already emerged as a strong contender for the drivers’ title. While he is in P3 behind the McLarens, he is continuing to bridge the gap to the rivals at the forefront. Meanwhile, Red Bull needs to keep up with a similar performance improvement to cement the Dutchman’s fifth title this year. Time will tell about how the 27-year-old fares as the team banks massive hopes on him.