Lando Norris set to use world champion race number in 2026
8th December 2025McLaren’s world champion, Lando Norris, is set to use the world champion #1 number on his car next year, reports confirm.
Feature image credit: McLaren Racing
Norris, who has used the #4 on his McLarens ever since he joined the grid in 2019, is set to take over Max Verstappen’s race number after the Briton sealed the world title last weekend, in Abu Dhabi.
The McLaren driver sealed the title with a third-place finish to defeat long-standing champion Verstappen by two points in the drivers’ standings.
In F1, only the #1 number can be used by the world champion, something which is reserved for the defending world champions. It made a return in 2022 after Verstappen took the number following his title success in 2021, taking over from then-Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton.
“It’s tradition. It’s there for a reason,” Norris said to Sky Sports “It’s there because you can go and try grab it and you can work hard to try and get it.
“All of us as a team that gets to have a role in McLaren, or my car, will get to wear that with pride. It’s all my mechanics, my engineers, everyone that’s part of McLaren gets to have that acknowledgement too.
“So it’s not for me, it’s for them as well. It’s their pride, knowing that they put a lot of work and effort into everything that they can also go ‘we’re number one’. It’s not as cool when you say ‘we are number four’ so they will be even happier than I am!”
Since 2014, all F1 drivers have been assigned their own race number that remains with them throughout their career in F1, a tradition set to change in 2026.
Since then, only now-Ferrari driver Hamilton opted not to run the world champion number. The seven-time world champion, as he collected his second to seventh world titles, opted to run with his iconic #44 race number.
It is unclear whether Verstappen will return to his previous number, #33, which he wore before his championship-winning season in 2021, or opt for a new one.
Read more Formula 1 here:
- Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: 3 Winners and Losers
- FIA confirm why no punishment for title-winning Lando Norris at Abu Dhabi GP
- Lando Norris seals the title as Max Versappen wins Abu Ghabi GP
- What happens when the champion wins in Abu Dhabi?
- How can Norris, Verstappen or Piastri win the title in Abu Dhabi?
- Max Verstappen snatches pole for title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
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