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Daniel Ricciardo had to approve a recent change made by Max Verstappen after he lost the 2025 F1 title.
Daniel Ricciardo had to approve a recent change made by Max Verstappen after he lost the 2025 F1 title, leading to a shift in their driver numbers.
Verstappen had been the dominant driver since 2022, winning the championship in 2022, 2023, and 2024 as the ‘number 1’ driver.
However, in 2025, Lando Norris of McLaren claimed the championship, prompting Verstappen to give up his number 1 status for the next season.
In a recent interview, Verstappen announced that his new driver number would be 3, replacing his previous number, 33.
This change was possible due to the new regulations by the FIA allowing drivers to switch numbers, but it required approval from Ricciardo, who previously held the number 3.
Ricciardo, now retired from motorsport, agreed to the number change, focusing instead on his own ventures.
