Driver Numbers

[P1]

I think Vettel should just say he doesn't need a number. That would be the ultimate statement of intent.

 

[teabagyokel]

Indeed!

 

[Lewywo4]

In my view both #7 and #27 should be retired.

 

[Greenlantern101]

Wasn't the deadline for this the end of 2013. We should be expecting the numbers to be announced in the next week or two. Certainly must be before the first test on the 28th this month. But it would be nice to have the car launches with the drivers numbers on the cars. Assuming all the car launches don't happen on the 28th at Jerez.

 

[sushifiesta]

Greenlantern101 It's possible that the process will be held up by there being three unconfirmed seats at the back but yes hopefully we will hear soon. Providing everyone answered on time and they don't need to go back to some drivers to get a 4th choice it should only take them half an hour to sort everything out, if that.

 

[FB]

Okay Lewywo4, I'll bite. Villeneuve drove car No. 27 for 1 1/2 seasons and there was lots of request for 27 to be retired after his death but I could never understand why - Alan Jones raced with it for far longer and many other drivers prior to him. Why No. 7 though (Really, I have no idea why)? To see who else raced with No.27 here's a little link.

http://grandprix247.com/2013/12/16/the-legend-of-number-27-in-the-history-of-formula-1/

Also, do we retire No.2 as Senna was driving that in 1994? Do we retire 32 as Riccardo Paletti was driving with that number in Canada '82, as was Ratzenberger at Imola '94. Should we retire No. 6 as Ronnie Petereson carried that number at Monza in 1978?

There's probably very few numbers on the grid which haven't had a fatality associated with them. To start retiring numbers is just silly (in my view).

 

[Greenlantern101]

sushifiesta I don't think the unconfirmed seats will be a hold up. Surely it just means when a driver is confirmed they would have to choose a number that is not already taken.

 

[sushifiesta]

That's definitely the sensible approach.

 

[Wombcat]

I always associate the #27 with Alan Jones. Had a poster of him in the Williams FW07 on my bedroomwall for some years when I was a kid.

 

[Mephistopheles]

I have no idea what is special about any number to be honest they don't mean anything, well not as far as sticking them on a car goes anyway...

 

[teabagyokel]

Since the permanent numbers thing of 1974, there aren't that many numbers to figure (npi) on the front of a title winners' car:

 

[F1Yorkshire]

Also, do we retire No.2 as Senna was driving that in 1994? Do we retire 32 as Riccardo Paletti was driving with that number in Canada '82, as was Ratzenberger at Imola '94. Should we retire No. 6 as Ronnie Petereson carried that number at Monza in 1978?

There's probably very few numbers on the grid which haven't had a fatality associated with them. To start retiring numbers is just silly (in my view).

I've just had a look at fatal accidents in F1 and have come up with the following list of tragic numbers. There seem to be a few recurring numbers where the driver has unfortunately perished while driving with it.

Numbers 4,6 & 16 all have had 4 fatalities, number 2 has had 3 fatalities. It will be interesting to see if any drivers purposely avoid these unlucky numbers.

2 Luigi Musso
2 Peter Collins
2 Ayrton Senna
4 Bill Vukovich
4 Pat O'Connor
4 Wolfgang von Trips
4 Piers Courage
5 Jo Siffert
6 Onofre Marimón
6 Gary Hocking
6 François Cevert
6 Ronnie Peterson
7 Ricardo Rodriguez
12 Stuart Lewis-Evans
12 Shane Summers
14 Roger Williamson
15 Chet Miller
16 Alan Stacey
16 John Taylor
16 Peter Revson
16 Tom Pryce
18 Lorenzo Bandini
18 Jo Schlesser
19 Helmuth Koinigg
22 Harry Schell
22 Jochen Rindt
24 Gerhard Mitter
27 Gilles Villeneuve
28 Mario Alborghetti
28 Mark Donohue
29 Carel Godin de Beaufort
32 Riccardo Paletti
32 Roland Ratzenberger
36 Chris Bristow

 

[Mephistopheles]

Anyone who believes in the value of numbers to influence their fate needs their bumps felt...

 

[F1Yorkshire]

Drivers are a superstitious lot, out of the unlucky numbers only Rosberg has chosen one of them, only because number 6 was the number used by his Dad to win the championship.

It's only fair to make a list of lucky numbers to balance the unlucky ones.

 

[Mephistopheles]

But drivers come from all over the world and a lucky number in one country is unlucky in another some countries believe that 13 is lucky and seven is unlucky so there is no base line to draw a conclusion from..

 

[FB]

Nakajima drove car No.3 as 4 is unlucky in Japan.

 

[Mephistopheles]

My brain always associates number 3 with Max Biaggi...

 

[Greenlantern101]

Well this has just turned morbid

 

[Mephistopheles]

What's morbid about Max Biaggi?

 

[RasputinLives]

I associate 27 with Jean Alesi!