Is the number 69 banned in F1?
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. The ban on number 17 in F1 traces back to the tragic loss of Jules Bianchi, a talented driver whose career was cut short by a fatal accident. The FIA chose to retire the number as a lasting tribute to honor his memory and achievements.
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 Las Vegas Grand Prix, Bianchi remains the most recent fatality in the Formula One World Championship. He never regained consciousness and died nine months later, on July 17, 2015 — 10 years ago today. He was 25 years old. Bianchi was the first driver to die from injuries sustained on an F1 race weekend since Ayrton Senna at Imola in 1994.