Norris claims number one as Verstappen is set to lose his coveted car number after a historic title win.
In a move that will send shockwaves through the Formula One community, McLaren driver Lando Norris has announced that he will be taking car number 1 for the 2026 season. This means that reigning F1 world champion Max Verstappen will have to find a new number to adorn his Red Bull Racing car, having held the coveted spot since 2022.
The news is not entirely surprising, given that Norris has been vocal about his desire to use number 1 throughout his career. In an emotional interview with Sky Sports News, he revealed that it was tradition and a chance for him to prove himself. "It's tradition," Norris said. "It's there for a reason. It's there because you can go and try grab it and you can work hard to try and get it."
The decision is also a nod to the McLaren team, who will be able to wear number 1 with pride as a symbol of their achievement. Norris made clear that this was not just about him, but about his entire team, including his mechanics and engineers.
Norris's historic title win marked an incredible achievement for the 25-year-old driver, making him the 11th British driver to become F1 world champion. He was congratulated by sportspeople and celebrities around the world, including UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, NBA star Jimmy Butler, six-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz, and reigning world darts champion Luke Littler.
The news also comes as a result of a rule change that will allow drivers to change car numbers year-to-year starting from 2026. Despite this change, Verstappen would have needed to find a new number anyway, having run number 33 since becoming world champion in 2022. The Dutchman has revealed that his favourite number is actually 3, previously used by Daniel Ricciardo.
For Norris, the title win was not just about him, but about making the most of this rare moment. "I had to celebrate well, enjoy the moment, because it's a rare moment for anyone," he said. "It could be a unique moment, it could be the only one so I had to make it memorable."
In a move that will send shockwaves through the Formula One community, McLaren driver Lando Norris has announced that he will be taking car number 1 for the 2026 season. This means that reigning F1 world champion Max Verstappen will have to find a new number to adorn his Red Bull Racing car, having held the coveted spot since 2022.
The news is not entirely surprising, given that Norris has been vocal about his desire to use number 1 throughout his career. In an emotional interview with Sky Sports News, he revealed that it was tradition and a chance for him to prove himself. "It's tradition," Norris said. "It's there for a reason. It's there because you can go and try grab it and you can work hard to try and get it."
The decision is also a nod to the McLaren team, who will be able to wear number 1 with pride as a symbol of their achievement. Norris made clear that this was not just about him, but about his entire team, including his mechanics and engineers.
Norris's historic title win marked an incredible achievement for the 25-year-old driver, making him the 11th British driver to become F1 world champion. He was congratulated by sportspeople and celebrities around the world, including UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, NBA star Jimmy Butler, six-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz, and reigning world darts champion Luke Littler.
The news also comes as a result of a rule change that will allow drivers to change car numbers year-to-year starting from 2026. Despite this change, Verstappen would have needed to find a new number anyway, having run number 33 since becoming world champion in 2022. The Dutchman has revealed that his favourite number is actually 3, previously used by Daniel Ricciardo.
For Norris, the title win was not just about him, but about making the most of this rare moment. "I had to celebrate well, enjoy the moment, because it's a rare moment for anyone," he said. "It could be a unique moment, it could be the only one so I had to make it memorable."
. This makes me wonder, is it fair that drivers get to change numbers every year? It's like they're not even committed to their team or their identity as a driver 
. And what's with the rule change? Is it just another way for F1 to shake things up and distract us from the real issues? 
I mean, can't we focus on the drivers themselves instead of their numbers? Norris says it's tradition, but is that really enough to justify giving him a number 1 car? It feels like more of a PR stunt than a genuine desire to prove himself 
.
Just got wind that Lando Norris is taking car number 1 next season 
- huge move! Feels like Max Verstappen was gonna lose his spot anyway with this new rule change 
... anyone think Verstappen's gotta find a new vibe for 2026? 
also, can you imagine the drama at the pits when Norris is driving by with that #1 number 
- I'm here for it! 
what do you guys think about this shift in F1 rules and Norris taking the iconic spot? 
he's gonna lose his number 1 spot to lando norris 
but at least lan do knows why it matters to him 
and congrats to lan again on his championship win 
11 british drivers becoming f1 world champ is pretty cool btw 
i'm so hyped for him 
he's been talking about this forever and now his dream come true 
but we all know lando deserves it 
the whole team is gonna vibe with number 1 and i'm sure they'll make some amazing memories together 
. Verstappen already had a good run with number 33 so why does he gotta change now? It's like the F1 gods are playin a trick on us 
!
, and I'm curious how many ppl are gonna be mad about it? my cousin's a big f1 fan and hes gonna lose it 
didnt even know Norris wanted number 1 so much 
... what a historic win for Norris! 
Anyway, gotta give it to the guy, who wouldn't want to wear number 1 though? It's like the ultimate symbol of achievement... unless you're Verstappen and you have to switch numbers every year now. 
"Hey, I'm gonna wear red onesies with 33 on them this season"
and lando norris gets to wear that prestigious number in 2026 lol what an amazing opportunity for norris though 
i mean we all no lando wanted this num but its still kinda surprising cuz he went on record sayin how much he wants it 
plus its a big deal coz its been maxs num since 2022, can u imagine switchin cars 
and its cool that mclaren gets to rock the num with pride now 
plus hes always been vocal about his love for the number so it makes sense. i feel bad for max verstappen tho, losing car number 1 is like losing a part of himself 
but hey at least he gets to try out a new number next year! 3 might not be as iconic as 1 though 
, this is some amazing news! Lando Norris finally gets his dream number 1 car, and it's not just about him, it's also a nod to McLaren's achievement 
. Can't wait to see what 2026 brings for F1!
still gonna miss seeing Verstappen in number 33 tho, he was kinda iconic with it. on the bright side, McLaren gets to keep their cool number and Norris is all about his team 
its like he was meant to have that number!! i mean, he's been going on about how much he wants it for ages, and now he gets his chance! its so cool for him and his team @ McLaren 
also, gotta say, its awesome that Max Verstappen is still the reigning champ 
2026 is gonna be lit!
Lando Norris goin for number 1 in F1 and it's gonna change everything! 
and the fact that Norris said it's about tradtion and him wantin to prove himself is so fire 
he's gonna rock number 1, no doubt about it 
. This is huge for McLaren team, they're finally back in the spotlight 
That's some serious talent right there 