Reigning Champion Norris Begins Title Defense with Number One on McLaren at Bahrain Test

Lando Norris hit the track at Bahrain International Circuit this week carrying the prestigious number one on his McLaren Formula 1 car, marking the beginning of his reign as the sport's reigning world champion. The 26-year-old British driver, who ended McLaren's 17-year wait for a drivers' championship with a nerve-wracking two-point victory over Max Verstappen in Abu Dhabi last December, described the experience as "surreal" as he begins preparations for what promises to be an even more challenging 2026 campaign.

Norris secured his maiden world title in dramatic fashion during the final round of the 2025 season, finishing third at Yas Marina to claim the championship by the narrowest of margins. The victory made him the 35th different driver to be crowned world champion in Formula 1's 75-year history, the 11th from the United Kingdom, and the eighth to achieve the feat with the legendary McLaren team. His triumph ended a drought that stretched back to Lewis Hamilton's 2008 championship with the Woking-based squad.

As pre-season testing commenced in Bahrain from February 11-13, with a second three-day session scheduled for February 18-20 at the same circuit, Norris acknowledged the magnitude of the challenge ahead. "My goal is exactly the same for 2026, but it never gets easier, especially with the rules changing," Norris stated during testing. "It's almost an even bigger challenge for us." The 2026 season introduces significant technical regulation changes that could shuffle the competitive order, making the defense of his title potentially more difficult than the conquest itself.

The FIA's official 2026 entry list confirmed Norris will race with the coveted number one throughout the season, a privilege reserved exclusively for the defending world champion. The sight of the single digit adorning his McLaren marked a historic moment for both driver and team, symbolizing their return to the sport's pinnacle after years of rebuilding. Norris is only the second McLaren driver this century to carry the number one, following Hamilton's brief tenure as champion with the team.

McLaren revealed their 2026 livery on February 9, just two days before the first public test session, generating significant buzz among fans eager to see how the championship-winning team would present their title-defending machine. The unveiling came amid a flurry of team launches, with rivals Aston Martin also showcasing their challenger on the same day, while Cadillac prepared to make their debut as Formula 1's 11th team. The grid expansion to 22 drivers and Audi's takeover of the Sauber operation add further intrigue to the season.

As Norris acclimates to his new status as Formula 1's champion, he joins an elite group of McLaren world champions that includes legends such as Emerson Fittipaldi, James Hunt, Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Mika Hakkinen, and Lewis Hamilton. The weight of that legacy, combined with the target now firmly on his back, ensures that Norris's title defense will be scrutinized from the season-opening race onward. With testing underway and the season set to begin in the coming weeks, the motorsport world watches to see if the young Briton can cement his status among the sport's greats with consecutive championships.