Max Verstappen has expressed his wish to change his race number to three for the 2026 season if he loses his F1 title and can no longer use number one on his Red Bull car. Initially, the 28-year-old used number 33, which became synonymous with him in racing circles. However, he had to settle for this number as his future teammate Daniel Ricciardo had already claimed number three.
After securing his first world championship in 2021, Verstappen switched to number one, typically reserved for defending champions. With the 2025 championship likely heading to either Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri, Verstappen faces a decision. Speaking at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Verstappen confirmed his intention to switch to number three from 2026 onwards, pending approval from the FIA and Ricciardo.
Verstappen humorously mentioned his interest in number 69 but favored number three. He acknowledged the need for confirmation on the change and expressed admiration for numbers 27, 2, and 7 as well. Fortunately, Ricciardo is unlikely to oppose the switch, as the two maintain a strong friendship despite Ricciardo’s retirement from motorsport.
In other news, Sky has enhanced its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+, and Hayu, along with 135 channels and comprehensive coverage of Formula 1. Sky offers full coverage of practice sessions, qualifiers, races, and exclusive content on the Premier League, EFL, darts, and golf.
Ricciardo recently announced his partnership with Ford as a Global Ford Racing Ambassador, emphasizing his lifelong passion for motorsports and the joy racing brought him. He reflected on the decision to retire and highlighted the importance of staying connected to the racing world in a meaningful way.
Readers can access Daily Mirror as a ‘Preferred Source’ on Google News for timely updates on valued news content.
