Why is 17 not allowed in F1?
F1 Driver Number Rules Choosing a number: Each driver has the opportunity to choose a permanent number between 2 and 99, excluding 17, that they can use throughout their F1 career. The number 17 is not used as a mark of respect following the death of Jules Bianchi, who carried that number throughout his F1 career. It sounds like a rather odd number to ban, but the number sadly became associated with one of the biggest tragedies in F1 history, which compelled F1 to retire it forever. Jules Bianchi, a much-loved member of the paddock who lost his life to a crash almost a decade ago.Banned F1 driver number Some driver numbers are banned or unavailable due to various circumstances. For example, car number 17 isn’t available as a mark of respect to Jules Bianchi, who unfortunately suffered a fatal crash in 2014.F1 drivers are allowed to choose a number between 2 and 99, which remain theirs for the duration of their career in the sport.Formula 1, a premier motor racing event since 1950, highlights numbers associated with legendary drivers. While numbers like 5 and 14 symbolize the greatness of champions like Vettel and Alonso, the number 17 was retired to honor Jules Bianchi, who tragically passed away after a 2014 accident.
Has F1 ever had 22 drivers?
In F1 2026, the Cadillac F1 team is set to join the Formula 1 grid, and for the first time in a decade, the field will feature 11 teams and 22 drivers. Cadillac will join the grid as F1’s 11th team in 2026, having gone through a lengthy process to be accepted.
Who drives 22 in F1?
Yuki Tsunoda – F1 Driver for Red Bull Racing. Max Verstappen – F1 Driver for Red Bull Racing.
Who is number 0 in F1?
In the event of the drivers’ champion not returning, no swap would take place, and number 0 would be used instead of 1 – this only occurred in 1993 and 1994 with Damon Hill. A little over two decades later, in 1995, the system was changed again. In 2014, it was decided to introduce the current system, where each driver gets to choose a permanent number. Drivers were initially allowed to choose any number from 2 through 99; number 1 is reserved for the World Drivers’ Champion.However, when you win the championship, you’re able to change your driver number to 1. Since Verstappen became world champion in 2021, he chose to change his driver number to 1. Sebastian Vettel chose the driver number 5 as a tribute to his childhood hero, Michael Schumacher, who also raced with the same number.
Is the number 13 banned in F1?
Yes, 13 is allowed. In fact, Pastor Maldonado used #13 when the permanent number system began in 2014. Though often considered unlucky in some cultures, F1 left the choice to the drivers. Yes, drivers are free to use the number 13, and one already has. When the permanent number system launched in 2014, Pastor Maldonado opted for #13, becoming the first to race with it in the modern era of F1.F1 drivers cannot pick #17. Jules Bianchi was using this number when he crashed at Suzuka during the 2014 Japanese GP and the injuries he sustained from it ultimately killed him nine months later. As a tribute, F1 decided to withdraw #17.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 Austrian Grand Prix, Bianchi remains the most recent fatality in the Formula One World Championship.The superstition surrounding the number 13 is thought to date back to pre-war racing and has generally been avoided in F1 competition. The only driver to have entered a world championship Grand Prix with 13 on his car was Mexican racer Moises Solana, whose BRM carried the number in his home race in 1963.Formula 1, a premier motor racing event since 1950, highlights numbers associated with legendary drivers. While numbers like 5 and 14 symbolize the greatness of champions like Vettel and Alonso, the number 17 was retired to honor Jules Bianchi, who tragically passed away after a 2014 accident.