Is 69 allowed in F1?
What Numbers Are Allowed in Formula 1? Drivers can choose any number between 2 and 99, except: Number 1 – Reserved for the reigning world champion (optional). Number 17 – Permanently retired for Jules Bianchi. Jules Bianchi’s number 17 was permanently retired after his tragic 2014 crash and death in 2015. His death led to major F1 safety reforms, including the Virtual Safety Car and the halo device. Number 17 is the only officially retired F1 number; others like 0 are restricted by rule.Currently, drivers are allowed to pick their own number for their career from 0, 2 through 99. Only the World Champion is allowed to use number 1. This number cannot be reallocated unless the driver has not driven in the sport for two seasons, with the exception of the number 1.Why is number 17 banned in F1? As a tribute to Jules Bianchi, who tragically lost his life in a crash in 2014, car number 17 remains retired from Formula 1. Add the 2026 F1 calendar to your agenda with one click!Drivers were initially allowed to choose any number from 2 through 99; number 1 is reserved for the World Drivers’ Champion. 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.
Which F1 number is banned?
F1 drivers become inseparable from their driver numbers over the course of their career. Lewis Hamilton and 44. Max Verstappen and the number one. However, there is one driver number that F1 stars cannot choose, with the number 17 retired following the death of Jules Bianchi. Is the Number 69 Banned in F1? Number 69 is not officially banned by the FIA, but no driver has chosen it since the system was introduced in 2014.
Why is No. F1?
The number 17 was retired from Formula One in his honour by the FIA, who mandated the halo cockpit protection device in all open-wheel championships from 2018 onwards. As of the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Bianchi remains the most recent fatality in the Formula One World Championship. The only number officially retired by the FIA is 17, kept permanently in honour of Jules Bianchi. For me, Jules Bianchi was one of those rare drivers whose talent felt unmistakable from the first laps. I always believed he would one day race in Ferrari, it seemed like the most natural path for him.