Hold onto your helmets, F1 fans. Max Verstappen, the four-time world champion, just dropped a bombshell: he’s switching to car number 3 for the entire 2026 season. After four straight titles under the iconic number 1, the Red Bull ace is handing it over to Lando Norris, who snatched the 2025 crown by a razor-thin two points. This move has the paddock buzzing, and for good reason, it’s a fresh chapter in Verstappen’s unstoppable saga.
Max Verstappen’s Rise To Success
Let’s rewind the tape. Max Verstappen burst onto the scene with Toro Rosso in 2015, rocking the number 33, a nod to his roots. He grabbed the number 1 plate after pipping Lewis Hamilton in that nail-biting 2021 Abu Dhabi finale, launching his dynasty of dominance.
Four championships later, with Norris clinching the 2025 title in a thriller, the McLaren star earns the right to fly the number 1 flag. Verstappen? He’s stepping back to number 3, a choice steeped in personal flair. It’s the same digit he toyed with early in his career, and now it returns as the new regs shake up the grid in 2026.
Why The Switch Now?
Max Verstappen confirmed it straight to Formula1.com, keeping it cool and calculated. “I’ve enjoyed number 1, but number 3 feels right for the next era,” he said, hinting at a mindset reset amid Red Bull’s rebuild. Fans are split; some mourn the end of the number 1 reign, others love the symbolism. It’s like Verstappen shedding old skin, ready to hunt a fifth title with renewed fire. Stay locked in, folks. Testing can’t come soon enough. Who knows what Verstappen unleashes next? See you in the front row.
Also read: F1 Cars 2026 Can Go Upto 400kmph? Here’s What Toto Wolff Thinks
