Max Verstappen will enter the 2026 championship bearing the No. 3 after Daniel Ricciardo agreed to relinquish his right to the number.

It will be the first time Verstappen’s car hasn’t carried the championship No. 1 since the 2021 season, when he competed under No. 33.

All Formula 1 drivers have been entitled to choose a personal race number to use throughout their career since 2014, but the digits were handed out on a first-come, first-served basis.

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Verstappen had used No. 3 during his brief junior career, but Ricciardo had already taken the number by the time the Dutchman made his debut in 2015, prompting him to pick the doubled-up No. 33 instead.

He then switched to No. 1 when during his four title-defending seasons.

But with Lando Norris taking No. 1 next season following his championship victory and with Ricciardo having retired from competition, Verstappen is taking the opportunity to switch to his originally preferred number.

The F1 rules declare a number is available if it hasn’t been used for two seasons. Because Ricciardo last raced in 2024, the Australian has had to give his permission for his old digit to be repurposed by his former teammate.

Ricciardo claimed all eight of his victories bearing No. 3, a number he chose in homage to one of his racing idols, NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt.

Earnhardt, a seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, had a fearsome on-track reputation that earnt him the nickname ‘the intimidator’ during his racing career.

“He was a hero for sure, and it was really in 2014 when I took on the No. 3, and I also had it in the back of my mind to take on ‘the intimidator’ and my version of that was ‘the honey badger’,” Ricciardo told Racer during his F1 career.

“I felt it was my year to make a bit of a statement, to be the guy that was, let’s say, not afraid to put on a big move, to race hard.

“I didn’t feel I’d quite had that yet, and that first year with Red Bull was the first chance to make that statement and to earn that reputation. For sure part of that was on the back of Earnhardt and how he inspired me.”

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Ricciardo got the chance to race Earnhardt’s 1984 Chevrolet racer at the 2021 United States Grand Prix courtesy of McLaren CEO Zak Brown, who owned the car.

“It was sick, it was so much fun,” he said at the time. “It’s so different as well. I got my kicks out of it because it’s so raw and foreign. The noise, smashing gears, the driving position … everything’s quite unique.

“And it’s Dale’s car — one of my all-time heroes. So that was surreal. Good fun.”

Ricciardo has made by far the most starts with No. 3, with 219 to his name under that number.

Prior to 2014, the FIA allocated all drivers their numbers automatically, with the world champion and his teammate getting Nos. 1 and 2. Numbers would then be handed out in descending order based on constructors championship position.

Michael Schumacher was the driver to use No. 3 most frequently after Ricciardo, having started 61 races with it.

The number isn’t particularly auspicious in Formula 1. Drivers bearing No. 3 have recorded 684 finishes, but only 63 of them — 9.2 per cent — have been victories.

It makes it the sixth most successful number by victories in Formula 1 history, following Nos. 1, 5, 44, 2 and 6.

The most frequent finishing position for a driver bearing No. 3 is fifth place.

However, No. 3 has won three championships: with Graham Hill in 1962, Jacques Villeneuve in 1997 and Michael Schumacher in 2000.

Verstappen’s choice of No. 3 will be one of two new numbers on the grid next season, with Arvid Lindblad choosing No. 41 for his rookie campaign at Racing Bulls.

Verstappen’s new teammate, Isack Hadjar, races bearing No. 6.