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Lando Norris revives McLaren's iconic number 1 in historic F1 return

A historic moment unfolds as McLaren's number 1 roars back to life—13 years after its last appearance. What does this mean for Norris and the 2026 season?

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The image shows a McLaren MP4-31 Formula 1 car on the floor of the McLaren Museum, with a wall in...
The image shows a McLaren MP4-31 Formula 1 car on the floor of the McLaren Museum, with a wall in the background. The car is a sleek, modern design with a black and white color scheme and a large spoiler on the back. It has a low profile and a wide stance, giving it a powerful and aerodynamic look.

Lando Norris revives McLaren's iconic number 1 in historic F1 return

For the first time in over a decade, a McLaren Formula 1 car bearing the number 1 took to the track. The moment arrived on January 28, 2023, after 5,555 days since the iconic digit last appeared on a McLaren. Lando Norris, now racing with the champion's number, marked the occasion by driving the new MCL40 during its shakedown in Barcelona.

The debut came after McLaren opted to skip the first two days of pre-season testing, choosing instead to maximise development time before hitting the track.

Norris completed 77 laps on the first day of testing, covering a total of 358.589 kilometres. Despite the delayed start, the team encountered no major technical problems. The British driver described the session as productive, allowing the crew to gather early insights into the car's behaviour.

The MCL40 revealed several design differences from its initial renderings. Its front wings proved noticeably narrower, while the pylons connecting the nose and wing were smaller than expected. The bargeboard, though keeping its triangular shape, sat more flush with the bodywork, and the underbody extended farther forward toward the front axle. Another surprise was the serrated fin on the engine cover, a feature resembling the one on Ferrari's latest model.

Norris's decision to adopt the number 1 created an interesting parallel with Max Verstappen, who also used the digit during his championship-winning campaign. The coincidence added symbolic weight to McLaren's return to the iconic number, last seen on their cars in 2010.

By March 19, 2026, Norris had already competed in three races of the 2026 season—the Australian Grand Prix, the Chinese Grand Prix, and the China Sprint. This followed his uninterrupted stint with McLaren since his debut in 2019, though the exact total of his career starts remains unconfirmed in available records.

The MCL40's first outing demonstrated McLaren's calculated approach to testing, prioritising preparation over early track time. Norris's performance and the car's reliability suggested a strong foundation for the season ahead. With the number 1 back on its chassis, the team now looks to build on this momentum in the races to come.

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