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Max Verstappen interested in changing his race number for 2026
Max Verstappen could be looking to race with a new number next season if he fails to win this year’s title.
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Since 2014, Formula 1 drivers have been required to choose a permanent race number, which they must keep for their entire career. The only exception is if a driver wins the world championship, in which case they can switch to the number 1 for the following season. This rule was designed to give drivers a consistent identity on the grid and to make it easier for fans to recognise them.
However, recent discussions at the F1 Commission have opened the door to more flexibility. From next season, drivers may be allowed to change their number during their career, provided they receive approval from the FIA World Motorsport Council. The details still need to be finalised, but the change could allow popular drivers to choose a number that holds personal significance or marketing value.
Max Verstappen could be one of the first drivers to benefit from this new approach. The Red Bull Racing star enters the Las Vegas Grand Prix 49 points behind Lando Norris, meaning he needs a strong result to remain in the championship fight. If Norris wins on Saturday night, Verstappen must finish second to keep his title hopes alive. If he falls more than 58 points behind, his attempt to secure a record-equalling fifth consecutive world championship will be over.
Normally, if Verstappen does not win the title, he would have to give up the number one and return to his original number 33. However, Verstappen has hinted that he might seek a different number altogether, Daniel Ricciardo’s former number 3. “You have to get approval for it because the number is not free yet because of Daniel Ricciardo,” said Verstappen, quoted by RacingNews365.
In Formula 1, a driver’s number is frozen for two years after they leave the sport to protect it in case they decide to return. With Ricciardo unlikely to come back, a move to number three could be possible if Verstappen receives the necessary permission.
Verstappen added that he would make a final decision over the winter. “I will see in the winter what it will be, but of course my favourite number is three. Let us see if that is possible first,” he said.
