The relationship of Daniel Suárez and Julia Piquet started in 2012 when the Mexican driver got to know her through her brother, former NASCAR and IndyCar racer Nelson Piquet Jr. They didn’t start dating until 2019, but their romance took off, and in 2024 they were married in Brasília, Brazil, Julia’s birthplace. And now Suárez has to emotionally balance his family and the most important part of his NASCAR season as they are ready to have their first child together.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
“Maybe if baby was coming Saturday, maybe missing a Saturday will be okay right now if it’s somewhere close but not Sunday. Like Sunday, I’m not missing a race. I just can’t, you know, being in the playoffs, being so competitive with the team, and we have just so many great things that we’re building that I just can’t.”
When asked what would happen if Julia went into labor during a racing weekend, Daniel Suárez answered without hesitation. The Spire Motorsports driver acknowledged that he doesn’t have a specific strategy, but he made it clear that if the scheduling caused a conflict, Sunday’s Cup Series race would still be his top priority.
Suárez and Julia revealed they were expecting their first child back in the first week of April. Wearing identical black caps that said “Dad” and “Mom,” the pair shared the news on social media while sharing an embrace. Suárez wrote a heartfelt caption, “The best is on the way.”
But the timing couldn’t be more complex. As of right now, Suárez is ranked eleventh in the Cup Series. The regular season has just four races left. He therefore seems to be in a good position to make it to the NASCAR postseason, barring a catastrophic collapse. However, there isn’t much space for a weekend off in this year’s championship scenario.
NASCAR now employs a 10-race Chase structure in place of the old elimination-based playoff system. All qualified drivers remain championship eligible through the season finale. Every race contributes to the title fight.
Similarly, every point earned during the regular season affects who advances to the postseason, as the ‘win-and-you’re-in’ format is out. Daniel Suárez’s chances of winning a title might be harmed by missing a race, and in the worst situation, he can even lose his spot in the postseason.
Ironically, NASCAR’s rules wouldn’t hand a penalty if he was to miss under such a circumstance. The sanctioning body’s driver waiver policy permits drivers to miss races for approved reasons. This includes medical situations, family emergencies and the birth of a child, without losing postseason eligibility.
NASCAR also grants waivers without stripping accumulated points in such circumstances. A recent example came in 2025. Denny Hamlin received a playoff waiver after missing the Mexico City Cup Series race for the birth of his son. This allowed him to remain fully playoff eligible while keeping his playoff points.
Even with that option available, Suárez has no intention of using it unless absolutely necessary.
“If this was the previous format of NASCAR, and we are not in the playoffs yet, and we already won a race, oh, that’s fine. It’s not a big deal,” he explained. He noted that the old system would have made the decision much easier.
For now, Daniel Suárez is hoping everything falls into place naturally. Hopefully, when the time comes, it does!