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List of Formula One driver numbers

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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

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From 1950 to 1973, driver numbers were allocated by the organisers of each event, with no consistent method deployed across events.[1] In 1974, a consistent race-to-race numbering system was first implemented in Formula One, based on the previous season's Constructor's 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 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. 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]

2014–present

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In 2014, it was decided to introduce the current system, where each driver gets to choose a permanent number.[4] Drivers were initially allowed to choose any number from 2 through 99; number 1 is reserved for the World Drivers' Champion.[5] 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.[6]

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 2025 can not choose numbers which were last used in 2023 or 2024, unless the number was issued temporarily by the FIA.[7] 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.

Formula One driver numbers

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Permanent numbers

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The following lists all Formula One driver numbers which were claimed as permanent career numbers since 2014.

No. Driver 2025 team First
used 		Last
used
1 Reserved for champion[N 1] 2014 active
2 Belgium Stoffel Vandoorne[N 2] — 2017 2018
United States Logan Sargeant — 2023 2024
3 Australia Daniel Ricciardo — 2014 2024
4 United Kingdom Max Chilton — 2014 2014
United Kingdom Lando Norris United Kingdom McLaren 2019 active
5 Germany Sebastian Vettel[N 3] — 2015 2022
Brazil Gabriel Bortoleto Switzerland Kick Sauber 2025 active
6 Germany Nico Rosberg — 2014 2016
Canada Nicholas Latifi — 2020 2022
France Isack Hadjar Italy Racing Bulls 2025 active
7 Finland Kimi Räikkönen — 2014 2021
Australia Jack Doohan[N 4] France Alpine 2025 2025
8 France Romain Grosjean — 2014 2020
9 Sweden Marcus Ericsson — 2014 2018
Nikita Mazepin[N 5] — 2021 2021
10 Japan Kamui Kobayashi — 2014 2014
France Pierre Gasly France Alpine 2017 active
11 Mexico Sergio Pérez — 2014 2024
12 Brazil Felipe Nasr — 2015 2016
Italy Kimi Antonelli Germany Mercedes 2025 active
13 Venezuela Pastor Maldonado — 2014 2015
14 Spain Fernando Alonso United Kingdom Aston Martin 2014 active
16 Monaco Charles Leclerc Italy Ferrari 2018 active
17[N 6] France Jules Bianchi — 2014 2014
18 Canada Lance Stroll United Kingdom Aston Martin 2017 active
19 Brazil Felipe Massa — 2014 2017
20 Denmark Kevin Magnussen — 2014 2024
21 Mexico Esteban Gutiérrez — 2014 2016
Netherlands Nyck de Vries[N 7] — 2023 2023
22 United Kingdom Jenson Button — 2014 2017
Japan Yuki Tsunoda Austria Red Bull Racing 2021 active
23 Thailand Alexander Albon United Kingdom Williams 2019 active
24 China Zhou Guanyu — 2022 2024
25 France Jean-Éric Vergne — 2014 2014
26 Russia Daniil Kvyat — 2014 2020
27 Germany Nico Hülkenberg Switzerland Kick Sauber 2014 active
28 United Kingdom Will Stevens[N 8] — 2015 2015
New Zealand Brendon Hartley[N 9] — 2017 2018
30 United Kingdom Jolyon Palmer — 2016 2017
New Zealand Liam Lawson[N 10] Italy Racing Bulls 2024 active
31 France Esteban Ocon United States Haas 2016 active
33 Netherlands Max Verstappen[N 1] Austria Red Bull Racing 2015 2021
35 Russia Sergey Sirotkin — 2018 2018
43 Argentina Franco Colapinto France Alpine 2024 active
44 United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Italy Ferrari 2014 active
47 Germany Mick Schumacher — 2021 2022
53 United States Alexander Rossi[N 11] — 2015 2015
55 Spain Carlos Sainz Jr. United Kingdom Williams 2015 active
63 United Kingdom George Russell Germany Mercedes 2019 active
77 Finland Valtteri Bottas — 2014 2024
81 Australia Oscar Piastri United Kingdom McLaren 2023 active
87 United Kingdom Oliver Bearman[N 12] United States Haas 2025 active
88 Indonesia Rio Haryanto — 2016 2016
Poland Robert Kubica — 2019 2021
89 United Kingdom Jack Aitken — 2020 2020
94 Germany Pascal Wehrlein — 2016 2017
98 Spain Roberto Merhi — 2015 2015
99 Germany Adrian Sutil — 2014 2014
Italy Antonio Giovinazzi[N 13] — 2019 2021
Sources:[10][11][12][13]

Temporary numbers

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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.

No. Driver Team Grand Prix Participated Source
36 Italy Antonio Giovinazzi Switzerland Sauber 2017 Australian Grand Prix
2017 Chinese Grand Prix 		[14][15]
38 United Kingdom Oliver Bearman Italy Ferrari 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix [16]
39 New Zealand Brendon Hartley Italy Toro Rosso 2017 United States Grand Prix [17]
40 United Kingdom Paul di Resta United Kingdom Williams 2017 Hungarian Grand Prix [18]
New Zealand Liam Lawson Italy AlphaTauri 2023 Dutch Grand Prix
2023 Italian Grand Prix
2023 Singapore Grand Prix
2023 Japanese Grand Prix
2023 Qatar Grand Prix 		[19]
45 Germany André Lotterer Malaysia Caterham 2014 Belgian Grand Prix [20]
Netherlands Nyck de Vries United Kingdom Williams 2022 Italian Grand Prix [21]
46 United Kingdom Will Stevens Malaysia Caterham 2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix [22]
47 Belgium Stoffel Vandoorne United Kingdom McLaren 2016 Bahrain Grand Prix [23]
50 United Kingdom Oliver Bearman United States Haas 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
2024 São Paulo Grand Prix 		[24][25]
51 Brazil Pietro Fittipaldi United States Haas 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix
2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 		[26][27]
61 Australia Jack Doohan France Alpine 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix [28]

Number 1

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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, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 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.[29] Max Verstappen has used number 1 since 2022, following his titles in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.[30]

Driver Team First
used 		Last
used
Germany Sebastian Vettel Austria Red Bull Racing 2014 2014
Netherlands Max Verstappen Austria Red Bull Racing 2022 active
Source:[31]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Max Verstappen exercised his right to use number 1 as the reigning world champion in 2022–2025.
  2. ^ Vandoorne used number 47 while substituting for another driver in 2016.
  3. ^ Vettel used number 1 when he was reigning World Champion in 2014.
  4. ^ Doohan used number 61 while substituting for another driver in 2024.
  5. ^ 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.[8]
  6. ^ The number 17 was retired by the FIA following Bianchi's death in 2015.[9]
  7. ^ De Vries used number 45 while substituting for another driver in 2022.
  8. ^ Stevens used number 46 while substituting for another driver in 2014.
  9. ^ Hartley used number 39 while substituting for another driver in 2017.
  10. ^ Lawson used number 40 while substituting for another driver in 2023.
  11. ^ Rossi used number 42 while substituting for other drivers in 2014.
  12. ^ Bearman used numbers 38 and 50 while substituting for other drivers in 2024.
  13. ^ Giovinazzi used number 36 while substituting for another driver in 2017.

References

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  1. ^ Killick, Ellie (8 March 2023). "The Evolution of F1 Driver Numbers: A Look Back Through History". It's All Sport To Me. Archived from the original on 20 January 2024. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
  2. ^ Logan, Nyo (25 April 2025). "F1 Drivers Numbers Guide: Retired, Banned & Famous Picks". Black Circles. Archived from the original on 15 September 2025. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  3. ^ Phelan, Mark (14 July 2025). "F1 Driver Numbers: Banned, retired and current". Formula One History. Archived from the original on 19 August 2025. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  4. ^ Patrick, Seb (7 November 2017). "A look at the history of numbers in Formula 1". Squad Numbers. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  5. ^ Tremayne, Sam (10 December 2013). "Formula 1 drivers to get permanent numbers from 2014". Autosport. Archived from the original on 10 April 2021. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  6. ^ Parkes, Ian (20 July 2015). "The FIA will retire Jules Bianchi's number 17 from Formula 1". Autosport. Archived from the original on 20 July 2015. Retrieved 11 March 2016.
  7. ^ "2022 Formula One Sporting Regulations" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 29 April 2022. p. 8. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 April 2022.
  8. ^ Smith, Luke (5 February 2021). "Mazepin set to race under neutral flag after CAS ruling extends to F1". Motorsport. Archived from the original on 5 February 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  9. ^ "Number 17 to be retired in Bianchi's honour". Formula One World Championship Limited. 20 July 2015. Archived from the original on 10 July 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  10. ^ "F1 2014: The reasons behind the numbers". GP Update. 8 February 2014. Archived from the original on 27 September 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
  11. ^ Medland, Chris (12 January 2015). "2015 F1 driver numbers". Crash. Archived from the original on 15 January 2015. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  12. ^ "2021 and 2022 FIA Formula 1 World Championship Entry Lists". FIA. 7 December 2021. Archived from the original on 7 December 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  13. ^ "All the 2025 F1 driver numbers confirmed in full". Formula One. 10 January 2025. Archived from the original on 3 February 2025. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
  14. ^ "2017 Australian Grand Prix – Official Race Classification". FIA. 26 March 2017. Archived from the original on 29 March 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  15. ^ "2017 Chinese Grand Prix – Entry List". FIA. 6 April 2017. Archived from the original on 7 April 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  16. ^ "2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Revised Entry List" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 8 March 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 March 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  17. ^ Collantine, Keith (26 October 2017). "Hartley to change number for second grand prix". RaceFans. Archived from the original on 19 April 2023. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  18. ^ "Di Resta to stand in for unwell Massa in Hungary". Formula One. 29 July 2017. Archived from the original on 13 July 2025. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  19. ^ "Decision - driver change Scuderia AlphaTauri (Corrected)" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 25 August 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 July 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  20. ^ "FIA Stewards Decision - Document No. 5" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 21 August 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 July 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  21. ^ "2022 Italian Grand Prix – Revised Entry List" (PDF). FIA. 10 September 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 September 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  22. ^ "FIA Stewards Decision - Document No. 6" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 20 November 2014. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  23. ^ "Vandoorne to use number 47 for debut". GPUpdate. 31 March 2016. Archived from the original on 4 April 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  24. ^ "2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix – Entry List (Corrected)" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 13 September 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  25. ^ "2024 São Paulo Grand Prix – Entry List" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 1 November 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 December 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  26. ^ "2020 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Entry List" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 10 December 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 July 2021. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  27. ^ "2020 Sakhir Grand Prix – Entry List" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 3 December 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 December 2020. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  28. ^ "Alpine confirm Doohan to race in Abu Dhabi as Ocon is released". Formula One. 2 December 2024. Archived from the original on 3 December 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  29. ^ "World champion Hamilton runs number 1 on his Mercedes in Abu Dhabi". Formula One. 23 November 2018. Archived from the original on 27 May 2024. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  30. ^ "Champion Verstappen to run No.1 on Red Bull in 2022 as he reveals congratulations from Wolff and Hamilton". Formula One. 14 December 2021. Archived from the original on 16 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  31. ^ "STATS F1 • Statistics Number - Number - 1". Archived from the original on 5 July 2010. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
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