New F1 Driver Numbers

  • Thread starter Thread starter Wardez
  • 117 comments
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GOTMAXPOWER
Marcus Ericsson has a small number 9 on the side of his helmet.

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The numbers on the top of the helmets is a good place since that's where the onboard camera will be.
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10 place grid penalty for it not meeting the number size requirements ;)
 
After running in Barcelona FP1, here are some of the test and reserve drivers' numbers:

#15 or #75 - Sebastien Buemi (font makes it hard to tell)
#30 - Charles Pic
#36 - Giedo van der Garde
#40 - Felipe Nasr
#46 - Robin Frijns
#78 - Simona de Silvestro (not in Barcelona)
 
"It's a number I have used before" has been a popular reason for choosing numbers. Räikkönen, Kvyat, Bianchi, Bottas, Sutil and (possibly) Gutierrez and Maldonado are the only drivers who chose their numbers for other reasons. #78 was free, so why shouldn't de Silvestro use it?

Also, I think Buemi is certainly #15 rather than #75. All I have to go on is a selection of shots from Sutton Images, and there are no front-on shots of his number.
 
Susie Wolff is #41.

I'm wondering if the test drivers have chosen their numbers or if they've been given theirs - in years gone by test and Friday drivers always used to have numbers in the 30s and 40s.

prisonermonkeys
Thank you - but would it kill them to make the number bigger?
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In general, amen to that. Considering the masses of empty space on some cars - the sidepods of the Williams and Saubers spring to mind - I feel the teams should be promoting their driver numbers a bit more. At least Williams now have a font that is large enough to read on TV.

I'm not sure where Red Bull could put a larger number, though. Maybe on the side of the airbox, under the TV camera?
 
Roo
I'm wondering if the test drivers have chosen their numbers or if they've been given theirs - in years gone by test and Friday drivers always used to have numbers in the 30s and 40s.
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The thought had occurred to me, but those numbers were assigned based on WCC standings, just like the racing numbers. It started with #31 for the reigning champions, and went from there. Stoffel Vandoorne is #32, but McLaren did not finish second overall last year. Likewise, Giedo van der Garde is #36, but Sauber did not finish fifth. And Charles Pic is #30, which was not used under the old system.
 
prisonermonkeys
The thought had occurred to me, but those numbers were assigned based on WCC standings, just like the racing numbers. It started with #31 for the reigning champions, and went from there.
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Thanks, I never knew that. Makes sense now I look back on it.
 
Also, I'm pretty sure that Daniel Juncadella is #55, and Simona de Silvestro #78. The only one I don't know is Alexander Rossi, who takes part in FP1 in Canada.
 
It's a tangent, but there were at least two years where there was no defending champion, 1974 and 1994. In 1974 Ronnie Peterson's Lotus had a #1 while in 1994 there was no #1.

I quite liked the old, old system of team locked numbers except if you were champions. Ligier 25 & 26, Tyrrell 3 & 4 and of course, Ferrari 27 & 28. But lol marketing.
 
Some drivers, like Bottas, chose their numbers for marketing reasons. But Hamilton has used #44 since his karting days, and Rosberg chose #6 because it was his dad's number. So while there are some marketing possibilities, there's some personalised element to it.
 
I'd have #88 and all my marketing material would feature two fat birds.
 
And I'd have #61, for the Maserati Birdcage, one of my all-time favourite cars (or, failing that, #37 for the Lancia Rally 037). But I'm not a Formula 1 driver.
 
722.

And not because of Stirling Moss.

Mercedes needs to hire me, like, right now.
 
Liquid
It's a tangent, but there were at least two years where there was no defending champion, 1974 and 1994. In 1974 Ronnie Peterson's Lotus had a #1 while in 1994 there was no #1.
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Nige won the title in '92 and then went off to Indycars, so there was no No1 in 1993 either. Damon ran with 0 in both '93 and '94 (after Prost won it then retired.)
 
daan
Nige won the title in '92 and then went off to Indycars, so there was no No1 in 1993 either. Damon ran with 0 in both '93 and '94 (after Prost won it then retired.)
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What about in 1959 and 1971? Hawthorn and Rindt were both already dead.
 
Liquid
What about in 1959 and 1971? Hawthorn and Rindt were both already dead.
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Back in the day, drivers didn't have the same number for the season.

If you Google Rochen Rindt and Lotus 72, which he only drove in 1970, you'll find different numbers on it. You can find 2, 3, 5 & 10 amongst others.
 
They were assigned numbers based on the entry list for each race I believe. Not sure what year it changed to teams picking their numbers and then the further change of order of previous year's points determining numbers.
 

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