Max Verstappen has expressed his interest in changing his race number to three for the 2026 season if he loses his F1 title and consequently loses the right to use number one on his Red Bull car. Initially, the 28-year-old used number 33 when he first joined the sport, a number that became closely associated with him in racing circles. However, he only chose this number because his future teammate Daniel Ricciardo had already claimed number three for himself.
Following his first world championship win in 2021, Verstappen switched to number one, which is reserved for defending champions, and has kept it since then. With the 2025 championship likely to go to either Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri, the Red Bull driver is now faced with a decision.
During the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Verstappen confirmed his intention to switch to number three from 2026 onwards, pending approval from both the FIA and Ricciardo. Ricciardo retired from motorsport earlier this year after leaving Racing Bulls during the 2024 season.
Verstappen humorously mentioned that his favorite number is three and joked about wanting number 69, although his father advised against it. He also mentioned his liking for numbers 27, 2, and 7. Fortunately, Ricciardo is unlikely to oppose Verstappen’s number switch as they maintain a strong friendship even after Ricciardo’s retirement from open-wheel motorsport.
In other news, Sky has enhanced its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle by adding services like HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+, and Hayu, along with 135 channels and comprehensive coverage of Formula 1. Sky offers complete coverage of Formula 1, including practices, qualifiers, and races throughout the season, as well as exclusive coverage of other sports like the Premier League, EFL, darts, and golf.
Ricciardo shared in an open letter his pride in becoming a Global Ford Racing Ambassador, emphasizing his enduring love for anything related to racing. He highlighted that racing has always been about fun and creating lasting memories.
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