'The number is cursed': F1 fans spot eerie pattern repeating itself from Daniel Ricciardo's career
Most Formula 1 fans were initially moved to see a piece of Daniel Ricciardo's legacy live on in the paddock.
When Max Verstappen announced he would be adopting the iconic No.3 for the 2026 season, no-one expected a curse to come along with it.
But now, fans are calling for Verstappen to drop the famous number as a string of lacklustre results have followed the Dutchman and suggest an unwanted pattern could be at play.
READ MORE: Socceroos unveil retro-inspired kit for World Cup
READ MORE: Dragons 'learned nothing' as six-year worst puts coach in danger
READ MORE: Aussie fumes as sinkhole wreaks havoc on MotoGP
Number three has been in the Red Bull family with Ricciardo during his F1 career. Getty
The four-time world champion had a huge crash in qualifying in Australia, which saw him start at the back of the grid and recover to sixth place, while in China, Verstappen posted a DNF result.
Eagle-eyed fans on X started to see the pattern emerge after Verstappen had a disqualification in his recent GT3 outing due to a behind-the-scenes tyre mistake at the Nurburgring.
The eerie similarities begin from when Ricciardo, in 2014, took Dale Earnhardt's number and had a DSQ and DNF in his first three races of using the number.
He was disqualified from the season opener in Melbourne after a fuel flow infringement, then DNF'd from Malaysia and finished fourth in China.
With only two places different in the pattern, fans are hoping Verstappen can shake off any "curses" and join the fight with front-runners Mercedes in 2026.
But after the Dutchman's unsavoury comments about the new cars this season, this seems unlikely.
Ricciardo has long honoured icons of motorsport in his career.
He used Earnhardt's number in Formula 1 and recently brought out a "Backyard Grand Prix" clothing line with his brand Enchante that features cars from both Allan Moffat and Peter Brock's illustrious careers in Australian national categories.
Daniel Ricciardo has frequently highlighted other motorsport icons during his career. Enchante
It seems the Honey Badger's old digits aren't providing their usual magic and Verstappen will be looking to break the streak in Suzuka to prove that the number doesn't make the driver.
