Lando Norris to Race with Number 1 in 2026 as F1 Champion

Lando Norris will race under the iconic number 1 in 2026 after clinching his first Formula 1 World Championship in the 2025 season. The McLaren driver, who has used number 4 since his rookie campaign, will temporarily retire his familiar identifier to assume the champion's mantle following his title victory over Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri.

Why it matters:

This transition marks McLaren's return to using number 1 for the first time in 27 years, since Mika Häkkinen's back-to-back championships. The number switch represents both a personal milestone for Norris and a symbolic reset for McLaren as they aim to build sustained success after ending their 26-year drivers' title drought. In F1's modern era, only seven drivers have carried number 1, making it one of motorsport's most exclusive identifiers.

The Details:

• Norris has consistently used number 4 since his F1 debut in 2019, becoming strongly associated with the numeral during his rise to championship contention
• Per F1 regulations, reigning world champions earn the right to use number 1, while retaining the option to keep their permanent number (as Lewis Hamilton did with 44)
• Historic Context: McLaren last used number 1 in 1999 with Häkkinen, and before that with Ayrton Senna in 1991
• Team Significance: The switch underscores McLaren's full-circle moment - they became the first constructor to win a race with number 1 (1984) and now reclaim it after decades of chasing the title
• Verstappen's Shift: Max Verstappen, as 2025 runner-up, will likely select a new permanent number after using 1 since 2014, potentially reverting to his original 33 or choosing another available numeral

What's next:

Norris's adoption of number 1 will create immediate visual symbolism at the 2026 season opener, with McLaren's championship-winning car carrying the numeral that's been absent from their livery since the Häkkinen era. The team plans to integrate the number change into their broader rebranding efforts as they aim to defend both championships.

• Technical regulations for 2026 present McLaren with both opportunities and challenges in maintaining their competitive edge
• Team principal Andrea Stella has indicated the number change will coincide with updated livery elements celebrating the championship victory
• Norris's decision to embrace rather than decline number 1 follows the path of recent champions like Sebastian Vettel and Nico Rosberg, rather than Hamilton's choice to retain 44