Verstappen Nears Preferred Number 3 for 2026 as Mercedes Plans to Cut Customer Teams
The FIA has finalized new rules allowing F1 drivers to change race numbers, paving the way for Max Verstappen to adopt his preferred number three in 2026. In a separate strategic move, Mercedes' Toto Wolff announced plans to reduce the number of customer teams the manufacturer supplies, putting McLaren, Williams, and Alpine on notice.
Max Verstappen is on the verge of securing his preferred number three for the 2026 Formula 1 season following the FIA's finalization of new race number regulations. Concurrently, Mercedes CEO Toto Wolff has indicated a strategic review that could see the manufacturer reduce its customer team supply, potentially impacting McLaren, Williams, and Alpine.
Why it matters:
The finalized number rules grant drivers unprecedented flexibility to change their identifiers mid-career, a significant shift from the previous permanent selection. For Verstappen, securing number three would mark a symbolic fresh start after narrowly missing the 2025 title. Meanwhile, Mercedes' potential reduction in customer supply signals a major strategic pivot that could reshape the competitive and technical landscape of the sport's midfield, concentrating resources and potentially creating a power unit supply crunch for some teams.
The details:
- Verstappen's Number Pursuit: The FIA has confirmed the new regulations, which will allow drivers to change their race numbers during their careers starting next season. Verstappen, who will relinquish the number one following Lando Norris's 2025 championship win, has already ruled out a return to his original number 33. The path is now clear for him to adopt the number three, a personal favorite.
- Mercedes' Customer Review: Toto Wolff, in an interview on the Beyond the Grid podcast, stated that Mercedes, in consultation with Chairman Ola Källenius, is planning to reduce the number of customer teams it supplies in the next engine cycle beginning in 2026. He identified "between two and three" customer teams as the ideal number, down from the three currently slated (McLaren, Williams, Alpine) for that season.
- The 2026 Supply Picture: Aston Martin's already-confirmed switch to Honda power for 2026 was a precursor to this shift. Wolff's comments suggest at least one of the remaining three teams could lose its Mercedes engine supply, forcing them to seek an alternative manufacturer or negotiate a new agreement.
What's next:
The focus now shifts to execution. Verstappen's formal request for number three is the final administrative step. For Mercedes' customer teams, uncertainty looms. Wolff's review will determine which partnerships continue, a decision with massive technical and financial implications for the affected squads. The 2026 grid's engine supplier map is set for a significant redrawing, with teams potentially scrambling to secure competitive power units under the new regulations.