McLaren’s Lando Norris, fresh off winning the Formula 1 World Championship in Abu Dhabi by just two points, will switch to car No. 1 for the 2026 season, a number previously used by Max Verstappen for 92 races since 2022. The British driver, who has raced with No. 4 throughout his career, said choosing No. 1 is a tradition reserved for the reigning world champion and a symbol of pride for the entire McLaren team.
Speaking to Sky Sports News, Norris said the number represents the hard work of everyone at McLaren: “It’s not for me, it’s for them as well… it’s their pride in being able to say, ‘we’re number one.’”
Since drivers were allowed to choose permanent numbers in 2014, only Lewis Hamilton has opted not to switch to No. 1 after winning a title, choosing instead to keep his trademark No. 44.
McLaren’s Lando Norris, fresh off winning the Formula 1 World Championship in Abu Dhabi by just two points, will switch to car No. 1 for the 2026 season — a number previously used by Max Verstappen for 92 races since 2022. The British driver, who has raced with No. 4 throughout his career, said choosing No. 1 is a tradition reserved for the reigning world champion and a symbol of pride for the entire McLaren team.
Speaking to Sky Sports News, Norris said the number represents the hard work of everyone at McLaren: “It’s not for me, it’s for them as well… it’s their pride in being able to say, ‘we’re number one.’”
Since drivers were allowed to choose permanent numbers in 2014, only Lewis Hamilton has opted not to switch to No. 1 after winning a title, choosing instead to keep his trademark No. 44.
