Verstappen drops the crown and the '1' - What his switch to car No.3 really signals for 2026
For many upset or heart wrenching fans, Max Verstappen taking the No.3 is that if feels like the final, cold erasure of Daniel Ricciardo’s legacy from the grid, turning a number that represented joy and “the honey badger” into just another digit on a dominant rival’s car. On behalf of countless supporters, this isn’t just a numerical change, it’s the symbolic end of an era. As seeing the No.3 on a Red Bull again but without the infectious smile and late braking heroics of Ricciardo feels like a sanitised replacement that ignores the emotional connection fans had with that brand.
Following the 2025 season, Verstappen lost his right to the No.1 because Lando Norris claimed the World Championship. Verstappen chose not to return to his old career No.33. Instead, he opted for the No.3 which has been vacant since Ricciardo’s departure from the sport in 2024. In Formula One (F1), numbers are a driver’s “soul” as they are used for all branding and merchandise. By taking the No.3, Verstappen is effectively rebranding himself with the most famous number of the last decade, sparking a massive emotional divide between “team Max” and “team Daniel.”
According to the official release: “The Dutchman will take the number previously used by his former team mate Daniel Ricciardo … Verstappen explained that the change to the number three has been a dream of his throughout his career.”
Fans find it upsetting that Verstappen describes taking the number as a “dream,” while for Ricciardo fans, the “dream” was seeing Ricciardo back in a competitive car with that very number. Switching now, immediately after Ricciardo’s exit is seen as a move to “override” the historical search results and memory of who the No.3 Red Bull driver truly was.
For many, the No.3 isn’t just a digit, it is the visual shorthand for Ricciardo’s “honey badger” persona. There is a poignant sadness in comparing the reasons for the choice. Ricciardo chose the No.3 as a heartfelt tribute to his hero, NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt, seeking to channel that “intimidator” spirit into his own late braking style. Verstappen’s reason is far more functional: he simply “like one 3 better than two” and feels he has already “had his luck” with the 33. While some fans are “gleeful” that they can dust off their 2018 caps to support Verstappen, for others, this feels like “identity laundering.” Wearing a No.3 Red Bull hat now feels like a betrayal of the original intent, forcing fans to choose between their loyalty to a retired legend and the current reality of the team.
While the legal path clear, the transition creates significant practical and emotional challenges for the team along with its global fanbase. Red Bull plus Verstappen have spent a decade building a massive “33” and “1” brand. Scrapping these for a three requires a total overhaul of team kit, headwear in addition to apparel. For fans, the challenge is cost: some have jokingly suggested “solutions” like crossing out one of the threes on old 33 shirts or tapping over Ricciardo’s name on old DR3 gear. The “visual reset” must coincide with the technical reset of the 2026 engine regulations making for a very busy transition period for the team’s marketing and design departments.
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