Why Lando Norris couldn’t run number 1 in F1’s post-season test

Lando Norris ran his normal number four on his McLaren during the post-season F1 Pirelli tyre test at Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

Seeing the number four remain on Norris’s car after clinching his first F1 title in Sunday’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix raised some eyebrows among observers, especially after revealing his decision to make the switch to having the number 1 on his car from next year. 

Norris was spotted wearing a new custom gold helmet design during the test to celebrate his maiden title triumph, but his McLaren MCL39 featured his chosen driver number he has raced with since making his F1 debut in 2019.

The reason behind it was simple; Norris has not yet officially been crowned world champion. As a result, he is not permitted to change his number.

Norris will have his new status formally confirmed at the FIA’s end-of-year prize-giving ceremony on Friday in Uzbekistan.

It will also be here that the 26-year-old Briton finally gets his hands on the F1 world championship trophy for the first time.

The same circumstances prevented Max Verstappen from immediately switching to having the number 1 on his Red Bull after winning his first world title in the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Verstappen ran with the number 33 on his car during the post-season test that took place two days later.

Verstappen is expected to change his driver number for 2026 after seeing his four-year reign at the top of F1 ended by Norris. He is eyeing up a switch to Daniel Ricciardo's old number three. 

Norris explains number switch choice

Norris confirmed he would be taking the number 1 from Verstappen a day after winning the world championship.

"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!"

Lewis Hamilton uniquely chose not to use the number 1 after his championship-winning years at Mercedes and instead stuck with his 44.