Max Verstappen has an eye on Daniel Ricciardo’s old number. Whether he gets it depends on a rule tweak, a signature, and a little F1 politics.
Since 2014, every driver has carried a permanent race number, with the reigning World Champion allowed to swap to No.1. Verstappen did exactly that for his title defenses, but if he lines up next season without the crown, he’s hinted he won’t go back to the familiar 33. He wants the single-digit version: 3.
That, of course, is Ricciardo’s calling card — the Honey Badger’s number since the start of the permanent-number era and one that became inseparable from his grin-and-send-it persona. Verstappen originally chose 33 because 3 was taken by his then-Red Bull teammate. Full circle stuff, if he can pull it off.
There’s a catch. Two, actually.
First, the number rules are shifting. The F1 Commission has discussed allowing drivers to change their permanent numbers mid-career, reversing the decade-long “pick once and keep it” policy. The idea’s been agreed in principle, though the exact mechanism hasn’t been published yet. That would open the door for a driver to adopt a number that wasn’t available when they debuted — which is exactly Verstappen’s situation with 3.
Second, even with that change, Verstappen can’t just pluck Ricciardo’s 3 off the shelf. Under the current framework, a number remains reserved for a driver for two full seasons after they leave the grid. Ricciardo stepped away after Singapore last year, which means the 3 is still his through the end of next season. Verstappen has acknowledged he’ll need approval if he wants it sooner. “You have to get approval for it because at the end of the day the number is not free yet because of Daniel Ricciardo,” he told Dutch media. “He has not been out of Formula 1 for two years yet.”
Verstappen’s made no secret that 3 is his “favorite number.” He also played it down with a shrug — he’ll see what’s permitted over the winter, and if it’s not possible, life goes on. It’s a racing number, not a personality transplant.
As for Ricciardo, he’s sounded very much at peace with life beyond the paddock. In public appearances he’s described a year of “self-exploration,” hiking trips and a slower rhythm after years of living on red-line revs. He’s since taken up a global ambassador role with Ford and suggested his racing days are behind him — which would make a handover easier, at least philosophically. Whether he’d formally consent to release the number early is his call.
All of this lands in that sweet spot where sport, identity and branding mingle. Verstappen’s 33 is stamped on a decade of highlights; Ricciardo’s 3 is stitched to the memory of late-braking dives and shoeys. Numbers in F1 have become shorthand for eras and fanbases. If the rules soften to allow mid-career switches, expect a few more drivers to eye the digits they missed the first time.
There’s also a competitive wrinkle. The No.1 is only worn by the reigning champion, so Verstappen’s hunt for 3 is tacit acknowledgment he might not carry the gold-plated numeral into the new regulations. He’s practical about it. If he can’t be No.1 next season, and 3 stays blocked, he could slide back to 33 without missing a beat. But don’t mistake the calm tone for a lack of intent. He’s still choosing what he wants next, just in case.
For now, the grid waits on the FIA to detail how number changes will be managed — and on whether Ricciardo gives a quiet nod that lets Verstappen take the Honey Badger’s trademark. If it happens, it’ll be a neat, slightly mischievous twist: Max finally getting the single 3 he couldn’t have as a teenager, with a wink to the teammate who wore it first.
If not, you suspect he’ll make 33 feel plenty sharp again. Numbers tell stories in F1. They don’t write lap times.
