List of Formula One driver numbers
Numbers used by Formula One drivers since 2014
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In Formula One, each car is numbered. Since the inaugural Formula One World Championship in 1950, several numbering systems have been used. This list covers the numbers used by drivers since the start of the 2014 Formula One season, when drivers have been allowed to choose a number that they would carry throughout their career.
History
1950–1973
From 1950 to 1973, driver numbers were allocated by the organisers of each event, with no consistent method deployed across events.[1]
1974–1995
It was not until 1974, following a short trial the previous year, when a consistent race-to-race numbering system was first implemented in Formula One. The reigning World Champion received number 1, their teammate took number 2, and numbers 3 and 4 and beyond were assigned to teams based on the 1973 Constructors' Championship results.[2] These assigned numbers were supposed to stay with their teams as long as they were part of Formula One or until they ran the reigning World Drivers' Champion, in which case they would swap numbers with the team previously running numbers 1 and 2. In the event of the drivers' champion not returning, no swap took place, and either number 0 (Damon Hill in 1993 and 1994) or number 1 (Ronnie Peterson in 1974 and John Watson in one 1985 race) was exceptionally used.[2]
This system was dropped in 1996. Some traditional numbers of Formula One teams during this period are listed below.[citation needed]
| Team | Car number | Years | |
|---|---|---|---|
 Tyrrell |
3 | 4 | 1974–1995 |
| Williams |
27 | 28 | 1978–1980 |
| 5 | 6 | 1982–1995 | |
| Brabham |
7 | 8 | 1974–1977, 1985–1992 |
| McLaren |
7 | 8 | 1978–1984, 1993–1995 |
| Lotus |
5 | 6 | 1975–1978 |
| 11 | 12 | 1980–1987, 1989–1994 | |
 Ferrari |
11 | 12 | 1974–1979 |
| 27 | 28 | 1981–1989, 1991–1995 | |
 Renault |
15 | 16 | 1977–1985 |
| Benetton |
19 | 20 | 1986–1992 |
| Scuderia Italia |
21 | 22 | 1989–1992 |
| Alfa Romeo |
22 | 23 | 1980–1985 |
| Minardi |
23 | 24 | 1986–1994 |
| Ligier |
25 | 26 | 1976–1995 |
| Arrows |
17 | 18 | 1984–1988 |
| 29 | 30 | 1979–1983 | |
1996–2013
After 1995, the numbers would change every year, as the previous season's Constructors' Championship standings would be used to determine the order from numbers 3 and 4 downwards, with the team of the World Drivers' Champion still getting numbers 1 and 2.[3][4] Throughout this period, number 13 was not used due to its superstitious connotation, with the FIA electing to skip from 11 and 12 to 14 and 15.[5][6]
2014–present
In 2014, it was decided to introduce the current system, where each driver gets to choose a permanent number.[7] Drivers were initially allowed to choose any number from 2 through 99; number 1 is reserved for the World Drivers' Champion.[8] The number 17 was retired in 2015 as a mark of respect to Jules Bianchi, who died that year from injuries sustained in a crash at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix while carrying the number.[9]
A permanent number can only be reallocated if the driver associated with that number has not participated in a single race over the past two consecutive seasons—a driver picking their number for 2026 can not choose numbers which were last used in 2024 or 2025, unless the number was issued temporarily by the FIA.[10] For instance, Jenson Button's number 22 would have been available for re-allocation in 2019 after his departure from full-time racing in 2016, but an appearance in the 2017 Monaco Grand Prix replacing Fernando Alonso (who was participating in the 2017 Indianapolis 500 instead), meant that his number could not be reassigned until 2020 at the earliest. Yuki Tsunoda subsequently picked that number (22) for 2021.
From 2026, drivers were allowed to request a change in permanent number.[11] Max Verstappen was the first to exploit this rule, switching from 33 to 3.[12]
Formula One driver numbers
Permanent numbers
The following lists all Formula One driver numbers which were claimed as permanent career numbers since 2014.
Temporary numbers
The FIA have also issued temporary numbers to drivers that are exceptions to the career numbers rule; for example, if a driver withdraws from a race and a reserve driver takes their place, they receive a team-allocated number. This is also the case for free-practice–only drivers. Examples include 39 (used by Brendon Hartley in one race), 40 (used by Paul di Resta in one race and Liam Lawson in five), 45 (used by André Lotterer and Nyck de Vries in one race each), 50 (used by Oliver Bearman in two races). The number 42 was entered twice for Alexander Rossi in 2014, but not for the main Grand Prix races: once for a practice session during the Belgian Grand Prix where he was supposed to replace Max Chilton before his team (Marussia) reinstated Chilton, and once for the Russian Grand Prix as substitute for Jules Bianchi, before his team ultimately chose not to run a second car alongside Chilton.
Number 1
The number 1 is reserved for the previous season's World Drivers' Champion, although it is not mandatory for the driver to run the number. The first driver to exercise the right to run the number 1 under the new regulations was Sebastian Vettel in 2014. The number then went unused for seven seasons, with Lewis Hamilton keeping his permanent number 44 after his title wins in 2014–2015 and 2017–2020, and Nico Rosberg retiring after his championship win in 2016. Despite Hamilton not using it full-time, he received permission to display the number 1 on the nose of his car during Friday practice at the 2018 and 2019 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. However, his car was officially entered under his usual number 44, which remained visible on the engine cover.[34] Max Verstappen used number 1 from 2022 to 2025, following his titles in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.[35] Lando Norris is currently using number 1 in 2026, following his title win in 2025.[36]
| Driver | Team | First used |
Last used |
|---|---|---|---|
 Sebastian Vettel |
 Red Bull Racing |
2014 | 2014 |
 Max Verstappen |
Red Bull Racing |
2022 | 2025 |
| Lando Norris |
McLaren |
2026 | Active |
| Source:[37] | |||
Notes
- Lando Norris exercised his right to use number 1 as the reigning World Champion in 2026.
- Vandoorne used number 47 while substituting for another driver in 2016.
- Sebastian Vettel used number 1 when he was the reigning World Champion in 2014.
- Doohan used number 61 while substituting for another driver in 2024.
- Mazepin is Russian, but he competed as a neutral competitor using the designation RAF (Russian Automobile Federation), as the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld a ban on Russia competing at World Championships. The ban was implemented by the World Anti-Doping Agency in response to state-sponsored doping program of Russian athletes.[13]
- De Vries used number 45 while substituting for another driver in 2022.
- Stevens used number 46 while substituting for another driver in 2014.
- Hartley used number 39 while substituting for another driver in 2017.
- Lawson used number 40 while substituting for another driver in 2023.
- Max Verstappen used number 1 when he was the reigning World Champion from 2022 to 2025.
- Rossi used number 42 while substituting for other drivers in 2014.
- Oliver Bearman used numbers 38 and 50 while substituting for other drivers in 2024.
- Giovinazzi used number 36 while substituting for another driver in 2017.
