Max Verstappen has revealed he is prepared to miss the birth of his first child if it falls on a Grand Prix race weekend.

The Dutchman, 27, is set to welcome a baby girl with his partner, Kelly Piquet, with the due date estimated to be sometime in mid-March.

That would clash with the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, but Verstappen has explained his view on why he wouldn’t jump out of the Red Bull car just to be in the delivery room.

“It’s possible, but I won’t do it,” Verstappen told Algemeen Dagblad. “This is just part of being a Formula 1 driver. If it happens, it happens. I can’t do anything about it.

“Unfortunately, Formula 1 drivers don’t get free time like that, but at the same time, I’m not the one who gives birth. Or maybe I will be suspended because I have too many penalty points for swearing [laughs].”