Red Bull crown Max Verstappen 2025 F1 champion

Max Verstappen, Abu Dhabi, 2025, generic — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

Red Bull crown Verstappen 2025 F1 champion

Well that's not right...

Chris Deeley Editor

Experienced sports writer covering F1 and other motorsports since 2023

Sunday 18 January 2026 11:56 Updated: 23:20

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Nothing's real if you just straight-up refuse to acknowledge it, right?

Red Bull have unveiled their new look for 2026, showing off the shiny new livery that'll be on the RB22 during the coming season.

But there's a problem on a little detail in their social media hype video though – specifically that there's still a number 1 on the front of the car and the engine cover. It's blink of the eye stuff and you can catch it from 30 seconds in.

Article continues under video

Let's be very clear about this: you will not see a Red Bull car racing this year with the number 1 on it, because that is for the current world champion and the current world champion only.

Verstappen still number 1?

Nevertheless, they appear to have mocked up a car with a number that it'll never run in anger, as if Lando Norris actually faltered in Abu Dhabi and handed the title to Verstappen. Denial is not just a river in Egypt.

It's not like they didn't have any warning that the Dutchman's number was going to be changing for 2026. He openly talked about the likelihood of having the 1 taken off him back in November.

Admittedly at the time he still seemed undecided about what he'd replace it with – saying he'd been tempted by a switch to No. 69 'for the marketing' but had been advised against it.

He eventually confirmed in mid-December (again, a full month ago) that he'd be running the number 3 this year. But someone at the Red Bull factory doesn't seem willing to let the championship dream go yet.

Renewed. Refreshed. We're ready.

This is the Fabric of our Team ?

? https://t.co/1HX0rTobrK #RedBullRacing || #Castore pic.twitter.com/4fEhXyzdtL
— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) January 17, 2026