Formula One star Max Verstappen has a controversial new girlfriend. Photo / Instagram

First Max Verstappen took Daniil Kvyat's seat at Red Bull – now he's dating his ex-girlfriend.

Verstappen, 23, has gone public with his new romance with Kelly Piquet, a 32-year-old Brazilian model who is the daughter of three-time F1 world champion Nelson Piquet.

Kvyat and Piquet dated for three years before ending their relationship in late-2019 but share a one-year-old daughter, Penelope.

Verstappen, who only separated with long-time girlfriend Dilara Sanlik in October, has now swooped in.

He posted a photograph of himself sitting with Piquet on a beach on New Year's Day. "Happy New Year everyone!" he wrote. "Let's make 2021 a year to remember in many ways. Wishing you all success, love and happiness just as I found mine."

Piquet also posted a picture of the new couple, writing: "Love is what makes the world go round. Happy new year and much love."

Verstappen replaced Kvyat as Daniel Ricciardo's teammate at Red Bull in 2016.

He has gone on to become one of the biggest stars in the sport, while Russia's Kvyat finds himself without a seat for 2021.

Kvyat was first spotted with Piquet in 2016 but they split just before Christmas in 2019, less than five months after the birth of their daughter.

"It's not a good thing, but Daniil seems balanced," Red Bull boss Helmut Marko said at the time. "Therefore, we do not want to interfere, because private matters should remain private."

F1 fans first started getting curious about a potential relationship between Verstappen and Piquet in early November when he commented on one of her Instagram posts.

After Piquet wrote "Darker than the ocean, deeper than the sea, you got everything, you got what I need", Verstappen replied "Together we can face challenges as deep as the sea and as high as the sky".

Kelly Piquet dating Max Verstappen after having a kid with Kvyat is the snakiest thing I CANNOT #F1

— Emma (@emlawrance) January 2, 2021