Rome, 18 December (LaPresse) – Max Verstappen has revealed that he will compete with the number 3 in the upcoming 2026 season, while Lando Norris will take the number 1 after beating the Red Bull driver in the title race by just two points. Since his debut with Toro Rosso in 2015, Verstappen has competed with car number 33, but he seized the opportunity to switch to number 1 when he beat Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton in the 2021 title race, kicking off a four-year reign as world champion. This winning streak was interrupted by Norris, who took third place at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, securing his first title as a McLaren driver, while Verstappen was left out despite an impressive comeback in the final stages. Instead of returning to his previous number 33, the Dutchman will adopt the number previously used by his former teammate Daniel Ricciardo. The two raced side by side at Red Bull from 2016 to 2018, but Verstappen explained that switching to number 3 has been his dream throughout his career. In an interview with Viaplay, he said: ‘It won't be number 33. My favourite number has always been 3, apart from number 1. Now we can swap, so it will be number 3.’ Number 33 has always been fine, but I prefer a 3 to a 2. I've always said it represents double luck, but I've already had luck in Formula 1." It has also been confirmed that both the FIA and Ricciardo, who retired from the sport in 2024 after a disappointing final season with RB, have given Verstappen permission to restore the number to the 2026 grid.