Newly crowned Formula 1 world champion Lando Norris has officially confirmed that he will be racing with start number 1 next season. As the reigning world champion, he is the only one who may carry this coveted number. For the past three seasons, number 1 has continuously adorned Max Verstappen‘s Red Bull, but now Norris is bestowed with this honor. It is not yet clear what number the Dutchman will use next year.
Lando Norris has been racing with number 4 since his debut in the premier class. Initially, the Brit wanted to race with number 11, but that number was occupied by Sergio Pérez at the time. Since then, the number 4 has become inextricably linked with his personal brand. However, the 26-year-old Norris does not want to miss the opportunity to race with number 1. “It’s tradition, it exists for a reason,” he responded to Sky Sports. “You have to claim number 1 and you have to work hard for it.”
Norris Chooses Number 1 for McLaren
Norris emphasized that the choice of number 1 is primarily a recognition of the work of everyone on his team. “Everyone who plays a role within McLaren, or in my car, will wear this number with pride,” he explained. “All my mechanics, my engineers, everyone who is part of the team, also receives this recognition.” According to the new world champion, the number is a shared tribute. “I’m not choosing this number just for myself, I’m doing it for them too. They should be proud – knowing they’ve put so much work and effort into it – that they can say: ‘We are number one.’ Saying you’re number 4 isn’t very cool, so they’ll probably be even happier than I am,” he concluded with a wink.
Starting number 1 is reserved each year for the reigning world champion. For example, Max Verstappen, who won his first title in 2021, raced the past three seasons with number 1 on his Red Bull car. Before that, he consistently drove with number 33. However, it’s not mandatory to use number 1; Lewis Hamilton, for instance, always chose 44 during his championship years, a number he has carried since his karting days. What number Verstappen will use next year is still unknown. Prior to the Las Vegas Grand Prix, he expressed a preference for number 3. “I need to get approval for that; it’s not yet available because of Daniel Ricciardo,” he explained. “But it is my favorite number, so we’ll have to see if it’s possible.”
