2025 F1 world champion, Lando Norris, took over the honour from Max Verstappen to drive with the car boasting the number 1 at Barcelona shakedown. The McLaren driver with number one, hit the track at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Wednesday, with Norris completing 77 laps across a full systems shakedown. Norris admitted it still felt “unbelievable” to see the number 1 on his McLaren as the reigning world champion completed his first on-track laps with it
The British driver, fresh from claiming his maiden F1 title, rolled out of the garage with the coveted single digit adorning his MCL40 for the very first time on Wednesday. This was the first time since Lewis Hamilton in 2009, a McLaren car featured the number 1 and the sight of that single digit that left Norris searching for words to describe the moment.
“It was just nice to be back, nice to be back here. Nice to see a number one on my car. So, pretty cool, pretty surreal still, so good feelings,” Norris said.
“Yeah, just to be back here, first day on track, our first time that everyone gets to be seen in full piece. It’s literally not been built until this morning. So, it’s an incredible thing.”
McLaren’s decision to delay their Barcelona debut meant Norris had time to contemplate this milestone. The #1 driver said that the team built the MCL40 on the morning of the test. The team prioritised development visibility, completing a smooth and positive shakedown.
“Today was really just a first understanding of the whole car, understanding just how it works really. Going through the manual of everything, so, a productive day,” Norris explained.
“But it’s one that’s really about just figuring stuff out, making sure things are working as they should.”
Lando Norris shares that “pressure is on” for him to defend the #1 title
The number 1 is always reserved for the world champion and Lando Norris used to run #4 on his car before taking the crown in 2025. Norris shared that the milestone of running the champion’s number only truly landed once he saw it beyond the garage doors.
“I saw it actually earlier on the timing screen, and I still find it just unbelievable,” Norris said after his first day of running with the number 1.
“Like, it’s still a crazy thing to see. Especially when you see it now, now is really the first time I get to see it on my suit, my car, on timing screens, all of these scenes, and it looks good.”
Despite the added attention, Lando Norris was clear that the number 1 itself changes little in day-to-day terms.
“Still a surreal feeling, the whole situation of being a champion,” he admitted.
“But it doesn’t change anything apart from I am at the top of the timing screens before we’ve gone out, because I am the lowest number now. Pressure’s on, but at the same time, it’s just cool and great for the mechanics, it’s great for all of them to have that feeling and that honour.”
Norris has previously admitted that the number one was special for the team, but insisted it changed nothing about the hard work ahead.
Lando Norris explains how the 2026 cars feel compared to the previous generation
The 2026 regulations have fundamentally reshaped what drivers experience behind the wheel during modern F1. The Briton explained how the revised power unit influences overall performance delivery. Cornering speeds dropped noticeably, reflecting reduced downforce levels mandated by the new technical framework regulations. In contrast, straight-line acceleration improved sharply, giving the car a quicker feel than last year.
“It’s pretty different, not even a huge step. I think it’s a bit of a step slower in terms of cornering speeds, in terms of acceleration and straight-line speed. It probably feels quicker than it did last year. You get to 340, 350 quite a bit quicker than we did in previous years,” he said.
The removal of the MGU-H and the transition to a more powerful MGU-K system has created new complexity that will take time to master. “You have a bit more for you to understand from the battery, the power unit, all of those things are in some ways more complicated and just different,” Norris acknowledged.
Cold track temperatures around two degrees Celsius limited meaningful performance comparisons, with McLaren prioritising data collection over lap time. Norris finished third on the unofficial timesheets, but the team stressed that fuel loads, tyre programmes and system checks made any conclusions premature. However, Chief designer Rob Marshall admitted that the team were “quite happy” with their runs.
Lando Norris believes that the winter break was too short for him
The winter break offered little time for reflection. Just weeks after securing the championship, Norris found himself back at work, adapting to new regulations while carrying the weight of expectation that comes with being the sport’s top driver.
“It was only a few weeks off, it didn’t even feel like a month off. It was a few weeks off of just trying to realise what has happened last year, and it had become a reality, my dream,” the world champ said.
“So, I think I’m still even now trying to just accept it and realise that it’s happened. But at the same time, it’s back to work, and now we’ve got to try and do it all over again.”
McLaren will continue its 2026 F1 Barcelona programme across the remaining shakedown days before heading to Bahrain for the pre-season testing in February before they head to Melbourne for the season opener.
