Following the introduction of permanent nu꧅mbers in F1 in 2014, only the reigning world champion has been able to use the number one on their car. 

Lewis Hamilton has opted to stick with his number 44 throughout the V6 hybrid e🍌ra, only running the number one on his Mercedes during practice sessions in🐎 Abu Dhabi for PR shots. 

The only other 💖driver to beat Hamilton to a world championship since 2014 was Nico Rosberg, but the German retired from F1 immediately after winning his maiden title. 

As a result, the number one has not featured on a🧔n F1 car since Sebast♎ian Vettel used it during his final season with Red Bull in 2014. 

Red Bull’s Verstappen picked the number 33 for his F1 career when he ♌made his debut 🐟with Toro Rosso in 2015 and has used the number ever since.

Asked if he would switch his #33 for the #1 if he went on to beat Hamilton to the world championship this year, V𒉰erstappen replied: “Absolutely.

“How many times to you have the opportunity to drive with number on🥃e? And it’s good for merchandise as well! So it’s smart to do that.”

Verstappen holds a 19-point lead over Hamilton in the world championship heading into the final four races, having won nine of the 18 ev♏ents held so far. 

But the Dutchman stressed he isn’t thinking about the prospect of winning the world champꦛionship. 

“It’s very simple to be honest with you - if you don’t think about it, you will not have any dreams,” Verstappen said. “So I’m just really ܫfocussed.” 

“In four races a lot of thingꦇs can happen,” he added. “We are looking good but things can change very quickly. ⛦;

“I said it after the race in M🅘exico, I’ve ha💎d a bigger lead already in the championship and that disappeared within two races.

“So weಌ have to again try to do the best we can here and again after this weekend we’ll try again to try and win the race. My app𒐪roach every weekend is the same, we will not change it.”