The number one. Perhaps the most symbolic and, in motorsport at least, important of them all. To be number one is an ambition all teams and individuals aspire to – the embodiment of excellence and achievement.
After clinching the Teams’ Championship last year, Invicta Racing has the honour of entering the 2025 FIA Formula 2 Championship with that single digit adorning one of its cars, and the number two adorning the other.
In some sporting contexts, the number one can be awarded to the reigning champion, or the highest-seeded competitor. It is earned, not given. A privilege, without doubt – but also a target on the back of the bearer, adding an extra element of pressure.
The number one in F1 and MotoGP
In motorsport, the number one is perhaps most synonymous with Michael Schumacher. In an era of Formula 1 where the reigning champion always ran the number one, the German did so for half a decade consecutively – an iconic combination which will forever remain a part of sporting history.
The choice to adopt the number one is not universal, though. MotoGP greats Valentino Rossi and Marc Márquez both opted to run their permanent rider numbers as reigning champions. Likewise, Lewis Hamilton has remained faithful to his iconic No.44 since F1 allowed drivers to choose their own.
The sacrifices to be the best
To be first, to have that number one, is any racer’s ultimate ambition. It is the drive behind overcoming the long days and late nights, the many weeks away from family and friends, the stresses and pressures that make motorsport one of the most intense forms of competition.
It is not just about maintaining a place at the pinnacle of competition but living with an expectation to succeed, both internal and external. Retaining that top spot can be harder than achieving it in the first place – and those who take it for granted will often find themselves quickly and brutally humbled.
For a team to be number one, it must exist and operate as one – unified behind that one single objective, that one goal. It requires every member to be at one with themselves, but also at one with each other. That togetherness is critical to achieving success.
What the number one means for Invicta Racing
This is the foundation of Invicta Racing’s success. A shared desire to be the best, both on and off the racetrack, personified in a single digit – a symbol of greatness, hard work and individual and collective excellence.
Invicta Racing’s quest to retain the number one starts now – and we will do so with pride in our team, respect for our competitors, and an unwavering belief in our ability to prove ourselves as worthy champions, invincible in spirit.
