The Formula 1 world is completely upside down. Only a few minutes agoMax Verstappen, the triple world champion and national hero of the Netherlands, officially announced that he will withdraw from theGrand Prix of ItalyOn Monza. The news hit like a bomb, not only in the paddock but also among millions of fans worldwide who eagerly awaited a new duel between Verstappen, Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc.

What made the shock even bigger was the unexpected role ofKelly Piquet, the girlfriend of Verstappen. She spoke out almost immediately after the announcement and unveiled a reason that no one had seen coming. According to Piquet, there is “more behind the scenes than most people think,” and emphasized that Verstappen “has made a difficult but necessary decision for his health and his future.”

Although the exact details have not been completely released, sources close to the Red Bull team that Verstappen has been struggling with both physical fatigue and mental pressure in recent weeks. The intensive calendar, combined with the towering expectations, would have taken a heavy toll. Piquet, visibly emotional in her explanation, said:“Max is always the strongest, but even the strongest people sometimes need a break. He deserves respect, no criticism.”

The reactions were immediately and intense. Social media platforms exploded with messages from fans. Some expressed their support and understanding:“Health is above all, max. We are behind you!”A fan wrote on X. Others were disappointed and spoke of “betrayal” to the sport:“The champion should never run away, certainly not in Monza,”It sounded in one of the many reactions.

The FIA ​​and the organization of the Italian GP indicated in a short communiqué that they respect Verstappen’s decision, but that the absence of the Dutchman will inevitably hit a big gap in the experience of the race. Sponsors, teams and television channels would already panic how to take care of the loss of the absolute public magnet.

At Red Bull Racing the tone was mixed. Team boss Christian Horner said he fully supports Verstappen:“Max has given everything for this team and for the sport. If he now needs room to recover, we will give him it.”At the same time, he admitted that the decision means “sporty a hard blow” in the battle for the constructors’ championship.

Analysts point out that the withdrawal of Verstappen can have historical implications. It has rarely happened that a reigning world champion voluntarily withdraws from one of the most important races of the season. Some fear that this is a first signal of an approaching end to Verstappens dominant period in Formula 1.

For the millions of fans worldwide, especially the painful demand lingers: does Verstappen come back stronger, or is this the start of a longer absence? Kelly Piquet concluded her statement with a meaningful message:“He does this not only for himself, but also for the people who love him. The future will make everything clear.”