Four-time champion Max Verstappen wants to change his career race number from 33 to 3 next year, assuming he does not win the championship and cannot continue with the No. 1.
Since 2014, F1 drivers have been allowed to pick a race number that they then use throughout their career, and Verstappen opted for 33 when he made his race debut in 2015.
The No. 1 has always been reserved for the reigning champion in F1 and Verstappen has opted to use that since 2022 after clinching his first of four consecutive titles in 2021.
The Red Bull driver currently trails championship leader Lando Norris by 49 points with three rounds to go, and by his own admission needs “a lot of luck” to retain his title and the right to use No. 1 next year.
If he does not win the championship, Verstappen would return to No. 33 in the normal course of events, but the F1 Commission recently agreed a new rule that will allow drivers to change their career number if they want to.
The rule still has to be approved by the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council, but if that happens in time for next year Verstappen intends to switch to 3 — a number last used by his former teammate Daniel Ricciardo, who adopted it in 2014 but retired from F1 last year.
“I will look at it over the winter, but my favourite number is 3,” Verstappen was quoted as saying by Autosport. “We just need to see whether that is actually possible.”
Verstappen joked that he had also considered other numbers but settled on 3 after discussions with his father, Jos.
“I actually wanted No. 69, but my dad said ‘that’s not a good idea,'” Verstappen added. “But that number always looks the same, no matter how you look at the car!
“No. 69 would be very good for the photos and marketing, and for the caps as well. It doesn’t matter how you wear them, it always stays No. 69. In that respect it would be a good marketing tool.
“I also like No. 27, but Nico already has that. I think #2 and #7 look really nice together in terms of shape. So No. 3 is my favourite number, but there are several numbers I find cool.”
