Max Verstappen has confirmed he will race with number 3 in the 2026 Formula 1 season, ending a long personal wait to use the number he has always considered his favourite.

When Verstappen entered Formula 1 in 2015, his preferred number was already taken by Daniel Ricciardo. As a result, the Dutchman opted for #33, which he famously described as “double luck”. He raced with that number until 2021, the year he claimed his first world championship.

Over the past four seasons, Verstappen carried the iconic #1 as reigning world champion. However, after narrowly losing the 2025 title fight to Lando Norris, he is required to give up that number, with Norris choosing to run #1 himself.

Under previous regulations, Verstappen would have automatically returned to #33. But ahead of 2026, the Formula 1 Commission has introduced a rule change allowing drivers to switch their race numbers voluntarily.

One potential obstacle was Ricciardo’s former ownership of #3. Although the Australian retired in September 2024, his number rights were still protected for two years. The F1 Commission has now made it possible for drivers to waive those rights early, with Ricciardo giving his approval for Verstappen to take over #3.

“It won’t be number 33. My favourite number has always been 3, apart from number 1. We can now swap, so it’ll be number 3,” Verstappen explained in an interview with Viaplay.

“Number 33 was always fine, but I just like one 3 better than two. I always said it represented double luck, but I’ve already had my luck in Formula 1,” the four-time world champion added.