Leaving the'1, Max Verstappen reveals which number he will race with in 2026

Max Verstappen in 2026 will race with the number 3, obviously the number 1 passes on the single-seater of Lando Norris, the new F1 world champion, after overtaking the Red Bull driver by only two points.

Since his debut with Toro Rosso in 2015, Verstappen has raced in the number 33 car, but chose to switch to 1 when he beat Lewis Hamilton, then at Mercedes, to win the 2021 title. He thus began a four-year streak as world champion. That streak was interrupted by Norris, who secured his first title with a third-place finish at the Abu Dhabi GP as a McLaren driver.

Instead of reverting to 33, the Dutchman will use the number previously worn by his former teammate Daniel Ricciardo. The two raced side-by-side at Red Bull from 2016 to 2018, but Verstappen explained that switching to the number 3 has been a dream of his throughout his career.

In an interview with Viaplay, he said, “My favorite number has always been 3, apart from 1. The number 33 has always been good, but I prefer a 3 to two. It represents double luck, but I have already had luck in Formula 1.” Both the FIA and Ricciardo, who retired in 2024, have given Verstappen permission to reinstate the 3 on the 2026 grid.