British driver Lando Norris has revealed his decision to display the number one on his McLaren car in the upcoming racing season. Norris secured the 2025 Formula 1 drivers’ title by finishing third at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, edging out his Red Bull rival Max Verstappen by two points. This achievement grants him the right to feature the coveted number one on his car for the 2026 campaign.
In a statement to Sky Sports News, Norris explained that adopting the number one is a tradition symbolizing hard work and dedication. He emphasized that the number represents a collective effort, involving his team at McLaren, including mechanics and engineers, who all share in the pride of sporting the number one.
Max Verstappen, who previously raced with number 33 on his Red Bull, may reconsider his number choice for the next season. While he expressed interest in using number three, previously associated with Daniel Ricciardo, FIA regulations mandate a two-year absence from F1 before a driver can reclaim their preferred number.
Despite the tradition of champions embracing the number one, some, like Lewis Hamilton, prefer to keep their iconic numbers. Hamilton, a seven-time champion, has always stuck with number 44, which has become synonymous with his brand, much like Norris and his former number four.
Norris’ victory marked the end of Verstappen’s 1,457-day reign as the F1 champion and also concluded a significant era where every world champion drove for either Red Bull or Mercedes for 5,505 days. Jenson Button was the last driver before Norris to clinch the championship without representing these two dominant teams, achieving his title with Brawn GP in 2009.
Having raced exclusively for McLaren throughout his F1 career, Norris expressed his satisfaction in achieving the championship with the team he has been with since the start. He stands as the only F1 driver to claim a maiden championship after completing over 150 races with the team.
Formula 1 enthusiasts can now enjoy live coverage of practice, qualifying, and races through Sky’s Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle, which includes access to approximately 100 TV channels along with complimentary subscriptions to Netflix and Discovery+.