From model Kelly Piquet to fashion designer Egle Ruskyte, get to know the wives and girlfriends supporting F1 drivers on and off the track

Max Verstappen and Kelly Piquet pose for a photo after the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi on November 20, 2022. ; George Russell and Carmen Montero Mundt arrive at the track ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Spain on June 4, 2023.Credit : Mark Thompson/Getty ; Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty

Formula 1 drivers may have busy schedules, but they make time for the group of women supporting them at the race track.

In March 2019, Drive to Survive premiered on Netflix. The series follows the journey of various F1 drivers, including Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, during competition season. The latest set of episodes dropped on Feb. 23, 2024, and chronicles the 2023 season, featuring race highlights and behind-the-scenes footage. Drivers continue to heat up courses around the world and even stateside, like at the upcoming F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix taking place Nov. 21 to 23.

Though F1 is known for its large fanbase, the wives and girlfriends of these drivers are some of their biggest supporters. When they’re not cheering on their partners at the race track, this group of women are raising families and building impressive careers of their own. Lily Muni He, who is dating Williams driver Alex Albon, is a professional golfer, while Verstappen’s girlfriend, Kelly Piquet, has modeled for brands like Louis Vuitton.

From their relationships to their own career paths, here’s everything to know about the Formula 1 drivers’ wives and girlfriends.

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Kelly Piquet, Max Verstappen’s girlfriend

Max Verstappen and Kelly Piquet pose for a photo after the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi on November 26, 2023.Mark Thompson/Getty

Verstappen and Piquet have been dating since 2020. The couple went Instagram official in January 2021 when the Red Bull Racing driver shared a photo of himself and Piquet on the beach.

“Happy New Year everyone,” he wrote in the caption. “Let’s make 2021 a year to remember in many ways. Wishing you all success, love and happiness just as I found mine.”

Piquet, whose father is former F1 driver Nelson Piquet, previously worked in fashion as a stylist assistant and buyer before moving into modeling. She has appeared in campaigns for brands like PatBo and Louis Vuitton. Piquet also shares a daughter, Penelope, with F1 driver Daniil Kvyat.

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Alexandra Saint Mleux, Charles Leclerc’s girlfriend

Charles Leclerc and Alexandra Saint Mleux attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers at Crypto.com Arena on November 12, 2023.Allen Berezovsky/Getty

Leclerc, who races for Ferrari, has been dating his girlfriend Alexandra Saint Mleux since 2023. While the couple have not shared any details about their relationship, they were spotted together at Wimbledon in July 2023 and the Las Vegas Grand Prix in November 2023.

Mleux is studying art history in Paris and has an Instagram account dedicated to her art findings. Though Mleux keeps her personal Instagram private, she often posts on TikTok, where she has over 250K followers.

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Rebecca Donaldson, Carlos Sainz’s girlfriend

Carlos Sainz and Rebecca Donaldson enter the paddock during practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Las Vegas on November 16, 2023.Kym Illman/Getty

Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz has been linked to Scottish model Rebecca Donaldson since the summer of 2023 when they were spotted in Italy together.

Donaldson has supported Sainz at multiple races since, though neither the F1 driver nor the model has publicly commented on their romance.

She is currently represented by Brand Model Management and appeared on the covers of Vogue Ukraine and Marie Claire Mexico as well as in multiple fashion and beauty editorials. In 2022, she briefly dated Scott Disick.

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Francisca Gomes, Pierre Gasly’s girlfriend

Pierre Gasly and Francisca Gomes attends the Ralph Lauren Suite during Wimbledon on July 10, 2023.Darren Gerrish/WireImage

Pierre Gasly, who races for Alpine, and Francisca Gomes were first linked in October 2022 when they were seen attending a match between French football clubs Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique de Marseille in Paris. The pair keep their relationship relatively private but occasionally open up about their romance on social media.

“The one who taught me what real love is❤️ My life partner and best friend,” Gomes wrote in a post celebrating Gasly’s 28th birthday in 2024. “Bon anniversaire meu Pedro, amo-te sempre sempre sempre.”

Gomes, who was born in Portugal, is a model and influencer. She’s signed to the Portgual-based modeling agency Central Models and has appeared on the cover of Portuguese magazines LuxWOMAN and CRISTINA. As an influencer, Gomes has worked with various brands, including Carolina Herrera and H&M.

Heidi Berger, Daniel Ricciardo’s girlfriend

Daniel Ricciardo and Heidi Berger during the Miami Grand Prix in 2023.James Moy/Alamy

Daniel Ricciardo, a driver for AlphaTauri, and his girlfriend Heidi Berger have been linked since 2021 but didn’t confirm their relationship until August 2022, when Ricciardo shared photos of the two on a trip with friends.

“Yeah mate, I’m in love, I got a good thing going, so yeah. I’ve got a good balance in life right now,” Ricciardo said during an interview with radio show personalities Fitzy & Wippa a month later.

Berger, whose parents are former F1 driver Gerhard Berger and Portuguese model Ana Corvo, studied at New York University and is an actress. She has appeared in the mystery thriller Onde Está Elisa? and the soap opera A Única Mulher.

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Louise Gjørup, Kevin Magnussen’s wife

Kevin Magnussen and Louise Gjorup with their daughter, Laura.Kevin Magnussen Instagram

Haas driver Kevin Magnussen has been married to wife Louise Gjørup since 2019. The pair dated for three years before tying the knot and have since welcomed two daughters together. Their older daughter, Laura, was born on Jan. 11, 2021, and their younger daughter, Agnes, arrived two years later in July 2023.

Gjørup is very supportive of her husband’s racing career and often documents her time at his competitions on Instagram. She is the one who encouraged him to return to F1 in 2022 after Magnussen had been out of racing for a year.

“I’m very lucky to have a wife who is super flexible and ready to go all out to make things work when I’m away,” Magnussen has said about his gratitude for his wife, per Sports Illustrated. “It puts things into perspective, and you find out what is important in life.”

Carola Martinez, Sergio Perez’s wife

Carola Martinez and Sergio Perez during the FIA Prize Giving at Bologna Fiere on December 9, 2022.Rudy Carezzevoli – Formula 1/Formula 1/Getty

Sergio Perez, a driver for Red Bull Racing, has been married to his wife Carola Martinez since 2018. They tied the knot a year after welcoming their son, Sergio Perez Jr., in December 2017.

The pair also share three other children together. They welcomed their daughter Carlota in September 2019, and their second son Emilio was born three years later in May 2022. Perez and Martinez reportedly expanded their family for a fourth time with another daughter in September 2023.

After the couple attended the FIA Prize Giving Ceremony in December 2022, Martinez shared a photo from the event with her husband on Instagram.

“You are a clear example of never giving up until you achieve your dreams! 2nd in the championship 🤩🙏,” she wrote in Spanish in the caption.

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Carmen Montero Mundt, George Russell’s girlfriend

George Russell and Carmen Montero attend the “No Time To Die” World Premiere on September 28, 2021 in London, England.Gareth Cattermole/Getty

Mercedes driver George Russell has been dating his girlfriend Carmen Montero Mundt since 2020. During a Q&A with her followers on Instagram, Mundt revealed that she and Russell met through a mutual friend in London.

Mundt can often be seen cheering on her boyfriend at his races and isn’t shy about sharing glimpses into their romance on Instagram. When asked by a follower in her Q&A if it’s hard to balance work with attending Russell’s races, Mundt replied, “Not at all.”

“Takes my head away from work and I enjoy the sport and spending time with him,” she continued. “There’s nothing that brings me more joy than Gs success.”

Mundt graduated from the University of Westminster in 2021 with a degree in business management and finance, per her LinkedIn. She previously worked as an investor relations associate for Ruffer but announced on Instagram in December 2023 that she would be going back to school in 2024.

Lily Zneimer, Oscar Piastri’s girlfriend

Oscar Piastri and Lily Zneimer ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Italy on September 2, 2023.Kym Illman/Getty

Oscar Piastri, who races for McLaren, and his girlfriend Lily Zneimer met and started dating when they were in high school. During an appearance on the eff won with DRS podcast in December 2023, Piastri said it’s “been nice to have someone there from the start.”

Though Zneimer has attended a few of her boyfriend’s races, including the Grand Prix of Italy in September 2023, the couple prefer to keep their romance out of the spotlight.

“We keep it private. Not secretive, like some relationships are. But yeah, we keep it to ourselves,” Piastri explained on the podcast. “We try to be out of the spotlight and just live normal lives.”

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Lily Muni He, Alex Albon’s girlfriend

Alexander Albon nd Lily Muni He arrive during the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain on July 9, 2023.Kym Illman/Getty

Albon and He have been dating since 2019. After He watched the Williams driver in season 1 of Drive to Survive, the pair started following each other on Instagram and bonded over their interest in each other’s careers.

“We started talking on the phone. We were both rookies in 2019 and I thought that was extremely cool,” He told Golfweek in February 2021. “Eventually he had an event in the States and afterwards, he and his friend took a little break in L.A. and that’s how we properly met for the first time.”

He is a professional golfer who first played on the LPGA tour as an amateur in 2015. Before going pro, she played on the golf team at the University of Southern California.

Marilou Bélanger, Lance Stroll’s girlfriend

Lance Stroll and Marilou Belanger in the paddock together during the F1 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi on November 26, 2023.Kym Illman/Getty

Lance Stroll has been dating his girlfriend Marilou Bélanger since at least 2023. While Bélanger had been posting sneaky shots of her and the Aston Martin driver since September 2023, the pair made their relationship Instagram official in December 2023 when she posted a photo of the two at a football game.

Bélanger works as a model and is signed to multiple agencies, including Wilhemina London, MGM Models and Select Model. She has appeared in campaigns for brands like Lole and La Vie en Rose.

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Tiffany Cromwell, Valtteri Bottas’ girlfriend

Valtteri Bottas and Tiffany Cromwell attend the ‘Monaco BeKing 2021’ charity on November 28, 2021. gala.Pascal Le Segretain/Getty

Valtteri Bottas and Tiffany Cromwell have been dating since 2020. Cromwell confirmed her romance with the Alfa Romeo driver by posting a series of photos of the pair on Valentine’s Day in 2020.

“Happy Valentines Day to this amazing human being who completely understands me and always knows how to make me smile,” she wrote in the caption. “My adventure buddy, training partner and coffee shop explorer @valtteribottas. ❤️ So lucky to have found you. Can’t wait for all the adventures to come.”

Cromwell is a professional cyclist who competes with the Canyon//SRAM racing team, per her website. She previously raced at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Cromwell is also the co-founder of Oath Gin and the Oath Lounge, per her Instagram.

Egle Ruskyte, Nico Hulkenberg’s wife

Egle Ruskyte and Nico Hulkenberg.Egle Ruskyte Instagram

Nico Hulkenberg, who races for Haas, has been married to his wife Egle Ruskyte since 2021. Following their initial intimate ceremony, the pair tied the knot for a second time in June 2022. They are also parents to daughter Noemi Sky.

“We are lucky to have 2 wedding anniversaries within a week (celebrating twice is better than once) 🥰 But the very first one, the most special one was today 2 years ago,” Ruskyte wrote on Instagram alongside photos from their first wedding. “Thank you for 2 happiest years together, Love you @hulkhulkenberg.”

Ruskyte is a fashion designer who owns a handmade crochet beachwear line called Egle and often shares her designs on social media under the moniker “the crochet girl.”