Daniel Suárez’s Wife Julia Piquet Discusses Battle with Crippling Anxiety in Heart-to-Heart with Samantha Busch
Racing runs deep in Julia Piquet’s blood, but there’s something that gets her heart pounding faster than watching her husband Daniel Suárez tear around the track at 200 mph. It’s something most folks wouldn’t expect from someone who grew up around the roar of engines and the smell of burning rubber.
On Samantha Busch’s Certified Oversharer podcast, Julia got real about her struggles with anxiety. And I mean really real. This isn’t your typical NASCAR wife putting on a brave face for the cameras. This is raw, honest talk about the kind of stuff that keeps you up at night.
Julia Piquet’s Honest Confession About Racing Nerves
When Samantha asked what people don’t really know about her, Julia didn’t hesitate to dive into the deep end. “I have, not all the time, but at times I have, like, crippling anxiety,” she shared, and you could hear the weight of those words.
This woman, who watches her husband pilot a 3,400-pound missile around ovals every weekend, gets more worked up about a simple Zoom call than she does about Daniel racing wheel-to-wheel with 39 other drivers.
“I get more nervous for a Zoom call than I do for Daniel’s races,” Julia admitted. Think about that for a second. We’re talking about a sport where one wrong move can send cars flying through the air, and she’s more anxious about hopping on a video conference.
The Paradox of Julia Piquet’s Racing Family Legacy
Growing up as the daughter of three-time Formula 1 champion Nelson Piquet, you’d think Julia would be bulletproof when it comes to high-pressure situations. Racing royalty runs through her veins. Her sister Kelly is in a long-term relationship with current F1 champ Max Verstappen.
This family knows pressure better than most. But anxiety doesn’t care about your pedigree or your family tree. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been around racing legends your whole life. When those feelings hit, they hit hard.
How Julia Piquet Supports Daniel Suárez Through Every Race Weekend
Despite her personal battles with anxiety, Julia hasn’t missed a beat when it comes to supporting her husband, Daniel Suárez. She’s at every single race weekend, not just sitting in the stands but right there on pit road during practice and qualifying sessions.
“I love it. I love traveling every weekend. I love being with him,” she told Samantha.”I’m not just there on race days. I’m out with him on pit road for practice and for qualifying because I love it so much… because it’s something that’s always been in my family.
“That right there shows you the kind of person Julia Piquet is. She pushes through her own struggles to be the rock her husband needs. That takes guts, especially when you’re dealing with the kind of anxiety that can knock you sideways.
The Reality Behind Julia Piquet’s Zoom Call Fears
Here’s where it gets interesting. Julia described how she’ll stress about a Zoom call for an entire day beforehand. The hour before the call? Pure torture. Her mind goes into overdrive, thinking about everything that could go wrong. But here’s the beautiful part of her story. Once she actually gets on that call, everything changes.
“But then once I get on the call… it’s like nothing ever happens. Like 10 seconds into the call, I’m like, ‘I got this. I’m good.'”That’s anxiety in a nutshell, folks. It’s that monster in your head that makes mountains out of molehills, but once you face it head-on, you realize you’re stronger than you thought.
Julia Piquet’s Connection to Formula 1 Through Family
The racing world got even smaller when Julia’s sister, Kelly, welcomed daughter Lily with Max Verstappen during the Miami Grand Prix weekend earlier this year. Julia made the trip to Monaco to meet her new niece, demonstrating the tight-knit nature of this racing family.
It’s fascinating how these racing families stay connected across different series and continents. From NASCAR to Formula 1, from Mexico to Monaco, it’s all one big racing family dealing with the same pressures and challenges.
Looking Ahead for Julia Piquet and Daniel Suárez
With Daniel’s future in NASCAR still uncertain beyond 2025, Julia’s support becomes even more crucial. Trackhouse Racing has already announced they’re moving in a different direction with Connor Zilisch taking over the No. 99 Chevrolet.
But if there’s one thing we’ve learned about Julia Piquet, it’s that she’s tougher than she gives herself credit for. She’ll face whatever comes next, anxiety and all, because that’s what you do when racing is in your blood and love is in your heart.
