How does Formula 1's numbering system work?

The date of the start of the 2020 Formula 1 season is unknown as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. In the meantime, let’s take a look at how the numbering system works.

The first four races of the 2020 Formula 1 season have been called off as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, and there are still naturally many questions as to whether or not the season will, in fact, begin with what would have been the fifth race, the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, on Sunday, May 3 given how this situation continues to evolve.

The season was scheduled to get underway on Sunday, March 15 with the Australian Grand Prix at Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, but that obviously didn’t happen.

Stay updated with every Formula 1 postponement and cancellation: POSTPONEMENT AND CANCELLATION TRACKER

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The driver lineup for the 2020 season was confirmed well before the 2020 season was scheduled to begin. In fact, all 20 drivers across all 10 teams were confirmed even before the 2019 season ended in early December.

Of these 20 drivers, 18 competed in the 2019 season, and all 18 of those drivers remained with the same teams. Of the two others, one had previously competed in Formula 1. This meant that 18 of the 20 numbers used in 2019 would be back and two would be replaced, one by a number that had already been determined and another by one that needed to be selected.

How does Formula 1’s numbering system work?

When most people think of Formula 1, they don’t necessarily associate driver names with car numbers. It is nothing like NASCAR, where drivers, crew chiefs, spotters, announcers and many fans will literally refer to certain drivers as “the 9” or “the 18”.

By contrast, nobody calls Lewis Hamilton (pictured) “the 44”.

Formula 1’s numbering system is relatively new. Since the start of the 2014 season, drivers were required to choose an available number before competing in their first race. This applied to drivers who had been competing prior to 2014 as well. Numbers are not tied to specific teams.

As a result, only 44 drivers have ever actually selected their numbers. A total of 39 numbers have been used. But six numbers, not five, have been used by two drivers, as one driver has used two numbers.

The number 1 is reserved for the reigning champion and was used in 2014 by 2013 champion Sebastian Vettel. It has not been used by anybody since, and as a result, Vettel is the only driver since 2014 to use more than one number. He now uses the number 5.

Only Hamilton (2014, 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019) and Nico Rosberg (2016) have won world championships since Vettel used number 1, and Rosberg, who used number 6, retired after winning his title in 2016. Hamilton has stuck with number 44.

The reason why only 18 numbers from 2019 are set to return in 2020 is because even when a driver no longer competes in Formula 1, his number can only be up for grabs if he has not competed for two entire consecutive seasons.

The two drivers who competed in 2019 but are not in the 2020 lineup are Nico Hulkenberg and Robert Kubica. Hulkenberg used the number 27 and Kubica used the number 88.

Esteban Ocon replaced Hulkenberg at Renault, and he had last competed in Formula 1 in 2018. He retained the number 31. Nicholas Latifi replaced Kubica at Williams, and he is a rookie. He took the number 6, which hadn’t been used since Rosberg won the 2016 world championship.

In the past, Formula 1 has also issued temporary numbers that are not included in the 39-count from above. A temporary number is issued to a reserve driver if a full-time driver withdraws from a race and is replaced. Over the years, those numbers have included 40, 45, 46 and 47.

Here is a list of all 20 active driver numbers for the 2020 season.

Number – Driver, Team
#3 – Daniel Ricciardo, Renault
#4 – Lando Norris, McLaren
#5 – Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari
#6 – Nicholas Latifi, Williams
#7 – Kimi Raikkonen, Alfa Romeo Racing
#8 – Romain Grosjean, Haas
#10 – Pierre Gasly, AlphaTauri
#11 – Sergio Perez, Racing Point
#16 – Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
#18 – Lance Stroll, Racing Point
#20 – Kevin Magnussen, Haas
#23 – Alexander Albon, Red Bull Racing
#26 – Daniil Kvyat, AlphaTauri
#31 – Esteban Ocon, Renault
#33 – Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
#44 – Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
#55 – Carlos Sainz Jr., McLaren
#63 – George Russell, Williams
#77 – Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes
#99 – Antonio Giovinazzi, Alfa Romeo Racing

Of the other 18 non-temporary and non-number 1 numbers that have been used since 2014, the only one that is permanently unavailable is number 17, which was last used by the late Jules Bianchi. It was retired after his death in July of 2015, a tragic passing that came a result of injuries he sustained in a crash at Suzuka Circuit in October of 2014.

This leaves 17 other numbers that have been selected by drivers in the past but are not currently in use. Those numbers are 2, 9, 12, 13, 14, 19, 21, 22, 25, 27, 28, 30, 35, 53, 88, 94 and 98.

Of these 17 numbers, seven cannot be selected as of now. As stated above, numbers 27 and 88 were used last year but their respective drivers did not return in 2020. Additionally, numbers 2, 9, 14, 28 and 35 were used in 2018, but their respective drivers from 2018 have not competed in Formula 1 since then.

With all of that considered, a total of 70 numbers (all but the current 20, the seven used in 2018 and 2019 but not in 2020, number 1 and number 17) of the 99 numbers from 1 to 99 are available at this time, and five more, 2, 9, 14, 28 and 35 are set to join them next year.

Meanwhile, any numbers introduced or reintroduced to the sport next year will be added to the list of unavailable numbers for the time being.

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Nobody knows the exacts of when Formula 1 action will get underway in the 2020 season, so please stay safe and healthy and ensure that those around you are doing the same. Hopefully the conditions will allow the season to begin sooner rather than later. For more information about COVID-19, visit the CDC’s website or the website for your state’s Department of Health.

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