Lando Norris ruthlessly steals No.1 off Max Verstappen’s car for 2026 F1 season

Newly crowned F1 champion Lando Norris has declared he will steal Max Verstappen’s number next season as the Brit basks in his new-found glory.

Lando Norris has confirmed he will take the iconic No.1, long used by Max Verstappen, for the 2026 season.

The Brit had been using car number 4 since joining the grid in 2019, but after becoming champion, the McLaren star declared he will use the No. 1 next year.

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Only the reigning F1 world champion can use the number 1 on their car, so Norris will take it away from Max Verstappen, who has held the honour since 2022.

However, given the No.4 has become synonymous with Norris, it was thought that he may stick with it despite being champion.

Lewis Hamilton did something similar. After his championship-winning years at Mercedes, he stuck with his iconic 44.

Lando Norris has declared his vehicle will have the No.1 on it next year, taking it off Max Verstappen. Image: Getty

But speaking of his decision to take the No.1, he told Sky Sports News: “It’s tradition. 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.

“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!”

Lando Norris was crowned champion on Sunday night (AEDT). (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Norris’ decision comes as F1 rules change for the 2026 season, allowing drivers to now change their numbers each year.

Since 2014, drivers have stuck with the same car number, but from next season they will no longer have to, having the right to change to any unused number at the start of each season.

But regardless of the regulation change, Verstappen would have needed to find a new number after not retaining the title.

The Dutchman was previously number 33 prior to becoming world champion, but says his favourite number is 3, which was previously taken by Aussie Daniel Ricciardo.

Originally published as Lando Norris ruthlessly steals No.1 off Max Verstappen’s car for 2026 F1 season