Lando Norris sealed his maiden Formula 1 world championship under the Yas Marina lights on Sunday, yet when he jumped back into the McLaren just two days later for the Pirelli post-season test, fans noticed something odd: the famous #1 was nowhere to be seen on his car.
The Briton crossed the line third in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – behind team-mate Oscar Piastri and race winner Max Verstappen – and that was enough to crown him the 2025 champion, ending the ground-effect era on a historic high for McLaren. After years of Red Bull and Mercedes dominance, a papaya-coloured car finally delivered both titles in the same season.
It was a roller-coaster year for Lando Norris. He started playing second fiddle to a flying Oscar Piastri, then weathered the late charge of an ever-dangerous Max Verstappen to hold on and take the crown in the final race. At the post-race press conference he spoke with visible pride about winning “his way” – clean, fair, never overly aggressive and always respecting the controversial “Papaya Rules” that allowed McLaren to race both drivers flat-out until the very end.
Andrea Stella’s bold two-pronged attack ultimately proved the Italian team principal right: you really can win a championship without picking a clear number one driver.
Lando Norris confirms #1 for 2026 – but not quite yet
One of the biggest perks for any newly crowned champion is the right to swap their personal number for the legendary #1 the following season. Norris wasted no time announcing he will do exactly that in 2026, ditching his familiar #4 in favour of the number that represents the champion.
“The #1 is an honour not just for the driver but for the whole team,” Lando Norris said in Abu Dhabi. “I’m proud to carry it next year.”
So why, during Tuesday’s Pirelli tyre test at the same circuit, was the McLaren still wearing #4?
The answer is purely bureaucratic. According to the FIA Sporting Regulations, a driver is not officially the world champion until the prize-giving gala formally confirms the final classification. That ceremony takes place this Friday in Uzbekistan. Until the moment Norris steps on stage and receives the trophy, the 2025 championship technically remains provisional – meaning he cannot yet use the #1 on an F1 car, even in a private test.
As soon as the gala ends, the switch becomes official and Norris will be free to run the most famous number in motorsport from the very first day of 2026 pre-season testing.
For now, though, McLaren fans will have to wait just a few more days to see their new champion proudly display the #1 where it belongs.
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