Newly topped Formulation 1 world champion Lando Norris has introduced he’ll race with the primary on his McLaren automobile within the 2026 marketing campaign.
The 26-year-old claimed a maiden title on Sunday by ending third on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, that means he ended Max Verstappen’s run of 4, consecutive championships.
It means Norris has now obtained the choice of racing with the #1 subsequent 12 months, as that honour is reserved for the reigning champion so Verstappen has used it since 2022.
The champion does have the choice of sticking with the quantity that they had earlier than although, as Lewis Hamilton did with #44, however the McLaren driver has opted in opposition to persevering with with #4 subsequent 12 months.
“It’s custom,” Norris, who raced with #4 since his F1 debut in 2019, advised Sky Sports activities. “It’s there for a motive. It’s there as a result of you may go and check out seize it and you may work exhausting to attempt to get it.
“All of us as a workforce that will get to have a job in McLaren, or my automobile, will get to put on that with satisfaction. It’s all my mechanics, my engineers, everybody that’s a part of McLaren will get to have that acknowledgement too.
Max Verstappen, Pink Bull Racing
Photograph by: Erik Junius
“So it’s not for me, it’s for them as nicely. It’s their satisfaction, realizing that they put a variety of work and energy into every little thing that they will additionally go ‘we’re primary’.
“It’s not as cool if you say ‘we’re quantity 4’, so they are going to be even happier than I’m.”
Verstappen will due to this fact race with a unique quantity within the 2026 marketing campaign after ending runner-up to Norris this 12 months, however the Dutchman doesn’t know which one he’ll use but.
The straightforward reply may very well be to return to #33, which he used from 2015 to 2021, however he didn’t select that quantity as a result of it was his desire. As an alternative, he would have chosen #3 however it was already taken up by Daniel Ricciardo.
“I’ll take a look at it over the winter,” stated Verstappen on the Las Vegas Grand Prix. “However my favorite quantity is three. We simply must see whether or not that’s truly doable.”
The one hurdle in utilizing #3 is {that a} driver should have been out of F1 for at the least two seasons earlier than someone else can take the quantity that they used. For Ricciardo, that isn’t the case as he left in 2024, that means Verstappen would wish to hunt permission.
So all of it will depend on that, however on the Abu Dhabi finale Verstappen was requested by DAZN which quantity he’ll use subsequent 12 months and he merely stated “most likely not 33, I’m nonetheless desirous about it”.
Images from Abu Dhabi GP – Race
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
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Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
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Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
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Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
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Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
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Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
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Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
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Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
Abu Dhabi GP – Sunday, in images
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