Max Verstappen’s superyacht launched for delivery as F1 ace gives it odd three-word name

is celebrating his fourth World Championship with a luxury present to himself and partner Kelly Piqeut – a 33-metre yacht, which he has named ‘Unleash the Lion’ in an ode to his personal branding.

According to a report from , Verstappen ordered his new yacht from the Mangusta series over two years ago, but only now is his latest luxury purchase ready for collection. The vessel was launched at the Overmarine Shipyard in the Italian port of Viareggio last week.

Ahead of the unveiling, Verstappen and Piquet reportedly attended an exclusive meeting with Giuseppe Balducci’s family over lunch in Versilia. The couple then witnessed the launch of their new yacht, which cost the Dutchman in the region of £12.3million ($15m).

Verstappen joins an exclusive list of celebrities to own one of the company’s yachts, including Al-Nassr star Cristiano Ronaldo and owner, Sheikh Mansour. It remains to be seen where the star will dock his new luxury vessel.

The 27-year-old now has parity with rival , who bought his Sunseeker 90 yacht back in 2009 for £3.1m ($4m). The star’s boat is 91.9 feet long and is usually found moored in the Monaco harbour, where the seven-time world champion resides.

However, while the arrival of his yacht was a rewarding surprise to start the calendar year, Verstappen is looking ahead to a priceless delivery later this year. Before the 2024 F1 season finale in Abu Dhabi, he and Piquet shared the news that they are expecting their first child together.

The couple have been publicly dating since 2020, and Verstappen has played a key role in the upbringing of Piquet’s first child, Penelope, who was born during her relationship with former driver Daniil Kyvat. Now, she is patiently awaiting her second baby.

’s star driver could meet his new child in as little as 12 weeks after Piquet provided an update on her pregnancy while replying to a fan on . She posted: “My first trimester was rough! I’m entering my third now! You got this.”

While this step will naturally come with its own stresses, Verstappen is well-placed to handle the new responsibilities, according to his father, Jos. “I am going to be a grandfather for the fourth time,” he told .

“My daughter Victoria already has three children. I am really happy, of course, and hope that everything will go well. It’s a good fit. I was 26 when I became a father for the first time with him; he is now 27. There are certain parallels.”