How do F1 drivers choose their race numbers?
Formula 1 drivers can choose a permanent race number between 2 and 99, which remains theirs throughout their career in the championship. If a driver leaves Formula 1, their number is reserved for two seasons before it can become available again.
For many drivers, that number carries far more meaning than simply identifying the car.
Some choices trace back to karting, others come from family traditions, childhood memories or sporting heroes. In several cases, the number seen on an F1 car today has followed the driver since the earliest stages of their racing career.
Permanent race numbers have therefore become part of a driver’s identity, linking their Formula 1 career to the story that came before it.
#44 – Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton’s connection with 44 began before his Formula 1 career.
The number came from his father’s car registration plate, F44, which was used when Hamilton entered his first race.
It later became part of his wider identity, including the launch of Mission 44 in 2021.
#14 – Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso’s choice of 14 comes from one of the most important days of his karting career.
At 14 years old, racing with kart number 14 on 14 July, Alonso won the Junior Karting World Championship in Genk.
From that point, 14 became his number.
#63 – George Russell
George Russell’s 63 has a family connection.
His older brother Benji had previously used the number during his karting career.
Russell followed his brother into motorsport and adopted the same number, later describing 63 as the family’s racing number.
#16 – Charles Leclerc
Charles Leclerc originally wanted number 7.
That number was unavailable, while number 10 was also already being used.
Leclerc eventually chose 16 because one plus six equals seven, allowing him to retain a connection to his original preference.
#4 – Lando Norris
Lando Norris had previously used 11 and 31 in junior karting.
Both were unavailable when he needed to select a Formula 1 number.
He chose 4 instead, saying it fitted particularly well with his personal logo.
#12 – Kimi Antonelli
Andrea Kimi Antonelli selected 12 partly as a tribute to Ayrton Senna.
The number also had significance in his own career, having been one of the first he used successfully in single-seater racing.
Antonelli was also 12 when he joined the Mercedes Junior Team in 2019.
#81 – Oscar Piastri
Oscar Piastri’s number has one of the more unusual karting origins on the grid.
He initially wanted number 1, but a kart shop only had enough stickers for him to use 11.
When 11 was unavailable at the Victorian State Titles, one of the ones was replaced with an eight, creating 81.
The number stayed with him through to Formula 1.
#55 – Carlos Sainz
Carlos Sainz originally wanted number 5.
Sebastian Vettel was using it at the time, so Sainz doubled it and chose 55.
The number later became part of his personal branding, including the familiar #Carlo55ainz styling.
#27 – Nico Hülkenberg
Nico Hülkenberg’s number comes from his birthday.
He was born on 19 August.
Adding 19 and 8 gives 27, which became his racing number.
#30 – Liam Lawson
Liam Lawson’s 30 is a tribute to one of the people who helped shape his early career.
His karting coach raced with the same number.
Lawson adopted 30 in recognition of the mentor who guided him during his first years in motorsport.
#41 – Arvid Lindblad
Arvid Lindblad wanted a number that felt distinctive.
He selected 41, which also carries a visual link to his initials.
The four can resemble a stylised A, while the one can represent an L.
#11 – Sergio Pérez
Sergio Pérez’s number comes from football.
Growing up in Mexico, Pérez admired Iván Zamorano, who wore number 11 while playing for Club América.
Pérez adopted the number during his karting career and kept it as he progressed through single-seaters.
#18 – Lance Stroll
Lance Stroll has described himself as superstitious about 18.
He won the Italian Formula 4 championship using the number and later reached Formula 1 shortly after his 18th birthday.
Those connections convinced him to keep it.
#3 – Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen originally wanted number 3.
Daniel Ricciardo was already using it when Verstappen entered Formula 1, so he chose 33 instead.
He described it as “double happiness”.
Once number 3 became available, Verstappen switched to the single digit he had originally wanted.
Why It Matters
The drink system is one of those things drivers barely talk about until it stops working.
On a cool weekend, it may not matter much. In Singapore or Qatar, it can become a real problem very quickly.
The liquid is usually warm by the end of the race, the tube is awkward and the system is hardly sophisticated. But when you are sitting in a 50C cockpit for nearly two hours, having something to drink is better than having nothing at all.
