Ever since Lando Norris took his maiden world championship in style, only one question has been on every Formula 1 fan’s mind: Will he say goodbye to LN4 and embrace his new journey as the world champ with number 1? And the simple answer is, yes, he will. He has now confirmed that he will be using LN1 as his number in 2026.
After Max Verstappen took the Number 1 for four consecutive years from 2021-2024, the Number 1 finally makes its way back to McLaren after 17 years.
Lando Norris To Go From LN4 To LN1
Lando Norris has rocked the number 4 since his rookie days to the point it has become iconic and a part of the team’s identity. But now? As the reigning champ, he’s got the golden ticket to go full LN1. “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,” Norris told Sky Sports News.
“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!” he said.
McLaren hasn’t had the opportunity to be number 1 because, remember, Lewis Hamilton in 2008? The GOAT stuck with 44 even after his titles, keeping it personal. Then Max Verstappen swapped 33 for 1 after his first win and has held on to that title since then, until the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2025. He will now race with the number 3 as LN1 gears up to make history.
Also read: Lando Norris Becomes 35th Different Formula 1 World Champion
