Daniel Ricciardo has expressed support for Max Verstappen taking his former Formula 1 race number three ahead of the 2026 season. The Australian, who retired from F1 last year, shared the story of their discussion at the 2025 United States Grand Prix. Ricciardo views the handover as a positive nod to their shared history as Red Bull teammates.
Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen were teammates at Red Bull for three seasons from 2016 to 2018. Ricciardo held the number three during that period and retained it through his subsequent stints with Renault (now Alpine), McLaren, and Racing Bulls, until his final F1 race at the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix.
Formula 1 introduced permanent race numbers in 2014. Verstappen began with number 33 in 2015, switching to number one after winning his first world championship in 2021. He kept it until Lando Norris dethroned him at the end of 2025.
New rules for 2026 allow drivers to change numbers during their careers, enabling Verstappen to claim his preferred number three. Ricciardo revealed that Verstappen approached him about the swap during the 2025 United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, in October 2025. Ricciardo was there promoting his Enchante lifestyle brand.
In an interview with GQ Sports, Ricciardo said: “It’s good. I got to see Max recently. The number three thing is quite cool. It’s a cool story for us and also fans of F1 who supported Max and I when we were teammates. So when I caught up with Max in Austin and when he mentioned he wanted to take number 3, of course I was very, very happy to say yes, because otherwise I think he would have had to wait one more year. It’s a pleasure for me to pass that number on to him now.”
Ricciardo retired from motorsport in September 2025 and now serves as a global racing ambassador for Ford, Red Bull's new engine partner for 2026. He recently reunited with Verstappen at a Ford season-launch event. Despite retirement, Ricciardo has shown interest in off-road racing, including a potential run at the Baja 1000 after testing a Ford Raptor T1+.
He added: “The itch for Baja is there, but I’ve got a lot to learn. A few more of these events and then ask me next year and we’ll see where I’m at! For me, it’s all about having fun. That’s always been my approach.”
