Verstappen shows off number 1 on Red Bull for first time

Ian Parkes
Thursday 3 February 2022 16:15

New F1 champion Max Verstappen has revealed the number '1' on a Red Bull car for the first time.

Throughout his F1 career, Verstappen has run with the number '33' but after winning his maiden championship at the end of last season has opted to proudly display '1' on his car.

Verstappen's choice is contrary to that of Lewis Hamilton who has maintained '44' on his Mercedes throughout his time with the team despite winning six titles.

For its inaugural outing, the Dutch driver took the RB12 - resplendent with the '1' on its bodywork - into a special team filming shoot on snow and ice in Zell am See, Austria, alongside speedway rider Franky Zorn.

The car was the one in which Verstappen won his first F1 race on his debut with Red Bull at the Spanish Grand Prix in 2016.

"It was the first time for me with a Formula 1 car on the ice," said Verstappen, speaking to Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws.

"I was really looking forward to it. It was very slippery, so I had to be careful. Formula 1 cars are not made to drive on ice. That made it more difficult but it was really fun."

The '1' will make its debut appearance on this year's car when the team unveils the RB18 at a special launch event on February 9.

You can catch further images here...

Finding traction for a frozen full send ❄️ @Pirelli 🤘 pic.twitter.com/wX0Utj2s4s

— Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) February 3, 2022

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