Lando Norris's championship win means Max Verstappen must give up the No. 1 in 2026. But how do Formula 1 drivers get their numbers in the first place?
Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen has proudly sported the No. 1 on the front of his car for the last three seasons, having dominated Formula 1 in recent years. However, the Dutch racer will have to adopt a new number for the 2026 F1 season following McLaren driver Lando Norris's championship win, which Norris secured after edging out Verstappen by two points in the final round.
As the reigning champion, Verstappen is the only driver permitted to run the No 1. However, the champion may also choose not to use No. 1 and instead continue to run the permanent number they selected when they entered F1. Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton, for example, used the No. 1 just for one season — in 2009, when the rules still mandated that the winner use it. He opted to use No. 44 for his six other title wins, as using No.1 became optional. The number on an F1 driver's car has no effect on their grid position and is purely symbolic, with the No. 1 a badge of pride for the reigning world champion.
Other drivers on the grid, meanwhile, have to stick to the number that they originally used — a rule that came into effect in 2014. With Norris's win at the Abu Dhabi GP, which handed him his first drivers' title, he will now have the option to use No. 1. Verstappen, meanwhile, must revert to the number he raced with when he made his F1 debut, No. 33.
Read more: Why Formula One Engines Went From V12s To V6s
How do F1 drivers get their numbers?
In 2014, Formula 1 amended its rules, allowing drivers to choose a number between 2 and 99 to use for the remainder of their F1 careers. The change was made to help drivers build their brand, as Hamilton has successfully done with LH44.
While a driver's number is kept exclusively for them throughout their F1 career, they can retain it for up to two years after leaving the sport to prevent a new driver from taking it. However, the rule implemented in 2014 could be modified soon, as the possibility of allowing drivers to change their numbers during their careers was recently discussed in a Formula 1 Commission meeting. If approved, the change could be implemented as early as the 2026 F1 season.
Former world champion Max Verstappen is already eyeing another number, as he plans to switch to No. 3 instead of 33, which he couldn't use when he made his debut in F1 in 2015 because Daniel Ricciardo already had it. One number, 17, was retired by F1 following the tragic death of Jules Bianchi in 2015, and has been permanently withdrawn from use.
How were drivers given numbers earlier?
F1 drivers couldn't always choose their preferred numbers. In the early years of Formula 1, numbers were assigned arbitrarily to drivers and teams, often changing from race to race. That changed in the '70s, when the reigning world champion and his teammate were assigned No. 1 and No. 2, while the remaining teams were given fixed pairs of numbers, for example, No. 5 and No. 6. These numbers stayed with each team, except for the team of the new world champion, which would take No. 1 and No. 2.
Another change to F1's numbering system came in 1996, when driver numbers were assigned based on the previous year's Constructors' Championship standings. However, the reigning Drivers' Champion and his teammate were still allowed to use No. 1 and No. 2, even if their team had not won the Constructors' title the previous season. This happened in the 2000 season when Ferrari — the previous year's Constructor's winners — used No. 3 and No. 4 as the drivers' title was won by McLaren's Mika Hakkinen, meaning he and his teammate David Coulthard used No. 1 and No. 2.
Why some F1 drivers opt for unique numbers
Lewis Hamilton chose to use No. 44 on his car for sentimental reasons, despite having the option to run No. 1. The seven-time world champion has used No. 44 since the age of eight, a number that originated from the registration plate on his father's car. Kimi Antonelli, who succeeded Hamilton at Mercedes, decided to use No. 12 in honor of his and Hamilton's childhood hero, the late, great Ayrton Senna.
Williams' Alex Albon also paid tribute to his hero, MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi, but instead of using the Italian's iconic No. 46, he chose half of that number — 23. Pierre Gasly, on the other hand, chose No. 10 because of his love for French football great Zinedine Zidane.
Others, like Charles Leclerc and Fernando Alonso, have superstitious reasons for their numbers. Leclerc chose No. 16 because it's his birth date, while Alonso opted for No. 14 because he won his karting world title at the age of 14 in a kart with the same number, and because he was born on the 14th as well.
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Category: General Sports
