F1 star Max Verstappen and his girlfriend Kelly Piquet have hit out against “ridiculous claims” made against her online for the span of three years.
Piquet, a Brazilian model, took to her Instagram account to post a lengthy statement responding to the rumours.
“A note from me and a gentle reminder to all…” she began her statement, “The online world can be a wonderful place for various reasons, but a very scary one when wrong information and lies are thrown around.
READ MORE: Angus thought doctors would ‘fix’ his brother Isaac: ‘And then they just suddenly couldn’t’
“I am unsure of the appropriate approach to address hate stemming from falsehoods. I have considered composing a response and letting it stand.
“For over 3 year I’ve been navigating a very strange and upsetting wave of accusations, rumours, fabricated situations, fake testimonials, photoshopped screenshots… you name it. All the while staying silent and not playing into these ridiculous claims,” she further explained.
“Accusations made in the past months especially have taken on another level of defamation. Those who know me know that I would never put myself in such positions, say certain things or act in such a way.
For a daily dose of 9honey, subscribe to our newsletter here,
All the celebrity sightings at the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco
“I am far from perfect, but I do take pride in my values, morals and manner. Let that be clear.”
Though the 35-year-old did not mention what exactly these rumours entailed, she did stress the effects they had on her loved ones.
“As a human being, the comments and hate affect me and the people around me deeply. I hop this serves as a reminder for people to verify online content before making threats,” she said.
READ MORE: How to figure out the cheapest time to book your holiday
“I hope those of you who have contributed to this take a moment to reflect on the real-life consequences of spreading lies and engaging in hate.”
Verstappen, 25, posted his own message in support of his partner of four years in the comments section.
“This has to stop. These false accusations by certain individuals on Instagram and TikTok are insane and ridiculous at the same time. Hate has no place in this world. We know what’s true within our family and we are very happy together. I love you,” the Belgian and Dutch driver wrote.
READ MORE: Oprah Winfrey’s health update after being ‘hospitalised’
Verstappen and Piquet have been dating since 2020, with the couple officially announcing their relationship via social media on New Year’s Day of 2021.
Before this, Piquet had been in a relationship with another F1 driver, Daniil Kvyat, since 2017. They split in 2019, shortly after welcoming their daughter Penelope.
FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.