Lando Norris has revealed his decision to display the number one on his McLaren car in the upcoming season. He secured the 2025 Formula 1 drivers’ championship by surpassing Max Verstappen, finishing third at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and ending the season two points ahead of his Red Bull rival.
Norris, who previously identified with the number four, will now embrace the number one for the 2026 campaign, taking over from Verstappen who has been sporting it since 2022. In an interview with Sky Sports News, Norris emphasized the tradition and significance of the number one, highlighting that it symbolizes hard work and achievement for the entire McLaren team.
Verstappen had previously raced with the number 33 on his Red Bull, and it is uncertain whether he will revert to that number or opt for the number three used by Daniel Ricciardo. FIA regulations mandate a two-year absence from Formula 1 before a driver’s number becomes available for others to select.
While many champions choose to display the number one to commemorate their success, Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time champion, has stuck with his iconic number 44 instead of the number one, aligning it with his personal brand like Norris with the number four.
Norris’s championship win ended Verstappen’s 1,457-day reign as the F1 champion and marked the conclusion of a 5,505-day period where every world champion drove for either Red Bull or Mercedes. Before Norris, Jenson Button was the last non-Red Bull or Mercedes driver to win a championship in 2009 with Brawn GP.
Norris has remained loyal to McLaren throughout his F1 career and expressed his desire to achieve a championship with the team from the beginning. He holds the distinction of being the only F1 driver to win their first championship after completing over 150 races with the team.
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