The change in focus follows confirmation that Max Verstappen will race with a new permanent number next season, and the team’s social media posts suggest that a fresh on-track look might soon follow.
The change in focus follows confirmation that Max Verstappen will race with a new permanent number next season, and the team’s social media posts suggest that a fresh on-track look might soon follow.
Verstappen, a four-time world champion, has confirmed he will run with car number 3 in 2026 after relinquishing the number 1 that he carried from 2022 through 2025 as reigning champion. He could have returned to his original number 33 from early in his career, but the Dutch driver said he prefers the simplicity of a single “3”, a number he has long liked apart from number one. The FIA and Daniel Ricciardo, who last used number 3 before retiring, gave their approval for the switch.
“It won’t be number 33,” Verstappen said in an end-of-year interview. “My favourite number has always been 3, apart from number 1. We can now swap, so it’ll be number 3,” he added, explaining the change.
The number update comes as Formula 1’s 2026 regulations overhaul engines and aerodynamics, pushing teams into a new era of design and performance. Red Bull Powertrains has forged a long-term technical partnership with Ford to build next-generation power units for both Red Bull and its sister team, underscoring a fresh chapter for the team group.
Fans have already picked up early clues about Red Bull’s graphical direction for next season, including a new silver-outlined number font shared by the team online, a notable departure from the style used since 2016. That has fuelled speculation that Red Bull could revive elements of its pre-2016 branding or blend new design cues to reflect its alliance with Ford and the start of the 2026 rules era.
Both Red Bull and the sister Racing Bulls outfit are set to unveil their liveries for the new season in mid-January at a Ford-hosted event in Detroit, with on-track testing to follow in Barcelona later that month ahead of the 24-race 2026 campaign.
As Red Bull’s cars get ready for a technical and visual reset, Verstappen’s number swap adds an immediate talking point for fans and rivals alike as the sport prepares for one of its most transformative seasons.
