Since 2014, Formula 1 has introduced a new numbering on the single-seaters, which allows each driver to choose the your race number to carry with you throughout your career. Over the years, we have learned to memorize a little of all the numbers on the grid, also counting the relatively few substitutions that occurred from season to season; however, we hardly know the reasons that led each of them to choose, which ranges from memories of the past to superstitious reasons linked to loved ones to necessarily alternative choices with respect to the original idea.
Projecting ourselves to 2022, we see pilot by pilot the reason for their choice.
Max Verstappen – 33 (even if he will use the 1 of the world champion)
3 has always been the lucky number for the new world champion, who doubled the numbers for his debut in Formula 1 as a good omen. In addition, he had already used this number in the past, when he was racing in karts as a child.
Sergio Perez – 11
The choice of the Mexican is linked to the football sphere, in particular to the former Inter player Ivan Zamorano. Checo is a great fan of America, a team from his country where the Chilean footballer also played wearing the number 11 shirt. “When he arrived in Mexico I fell in love with his way of playing and his goals, that’s why I married his number” Perez said in the past.
Lewis Hamilton – 44
44 is the number worn by the seven-time world champion on his kart at the age of 8, the same number stamped on his father’s car plate. The first time Lewis brought this number into Formula 1 was in the 2010 Monaco Grand Prix, when he drew a special roulette wheel on his helmet shell with the ball that stopped right on it (even though it didn’t exist in reality). Curiosity: the Briton won his first World Cup in 2008 with 22, the exact half.
George Russell – 63
The number chosen by the new Mercedes driver recalls the initials of his name, GR. As with many of his colleagues, he used it in his previous kart career and also in his social nickname, “GeorgeRussell63”.
Carlos Sainz – 55
For the Spaniard, the 55 was a makeshift choice. His favorite number is 19, already chosen by Felipe Massa in the year of his Formula 1 debut in 2015. The second option was 5, occupied by the then Ferrari driver Vettel. Hence, this last figure has been doubled, even going well in a marketing perspective, taking the place of the last S of the name and the first of the surname (Carlo55ainz).
Charles Leclerc – 16
History similar to that of his teammate for the Monegasque. He would have wanted 7, already occupied by Raikkonen at the time of his Formula 1 debut in 2018. The second option would have been 10, which was also occupied (by Gasly). So here we come to 16, the day of his birthday and whose sum (1 + 6) is just 7.
Lando Norris – 4
The young Brit has never hidden that he is a passionate fan of Valentino Rossi, but he did not feel like choosing the iconic 46 of the Doctor. So he opted for only the first digit, which is also part of his nickname (L4ndo) on the platforms gaming online.
Daniel Ricciardo – 3
Double motivation for the Australian in choosing his 3. This was in fact his first number with which he raced at a competitive level in karts, but behind his choice there is also the great admiration for Dale Earnhardt, seven times NASCAR champion. who sported this number.
Fernando Alonso – 14
Lucky number for the Spaniard, who always tries to identify him around him even in life outside the races. The birth of the 14th myth also dates back to the time of karting, when he won the World Championship on 14th July 1996, at the age of 14, showing off on his racing car on the 14th.
Esteban Ocon – 31
A choice linked to his first career title also for the transalpine, who triumphed with 31st in the French kart championship.
Pierre Gasly – 10
There is no fundamental reason why the Frenchman chose the 10, usually associated with the most creative player in football (the sport he loves). However, he too, in the past, had success with his current number by winning the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 in 2013.
Yuki Tsunoda – 22
The Japanese driver, who made his debut last season, would have liked to have chosen 11, already driven by Sergio Perez. This is why he chose to double it, thus receiving a legacy from Jenson Button on the 22nd. “A rider that I really admired when he won the World Championship in 2009” Tsunoda said.
Sebastian Vettel – 5
The choice of the four-time Aston Martin world champion is linked to two reasons, as he himself specified in an interview several years ago. Sebastian won his first kart title in 2001 with this number, and also his first Formula 1 world championship in 2010. Plus, it is the number with which two of his great idols of the past, Nigel Mansell and Michael Schumacher, have won. at least one title.
Lance Stroll – 18
The number chosen by the Canadian is also linked to superstitious issues. With 18, in fact, he won both the Italian Formula 4 in 2014 and the New Zealand Formula Toyota in 2015, as well as making his debut in the top flight at the age of 18.
Nicholas Latifi – 6
A patriotic choice for the Canadian, linked to his hometown of Toronto, also known as’The Six‘. “Toronto was once made up of six boroughs and two of the city’s three telephone area codes (416 and 647) start and end with a 6. I’ve also used this number in three of my four Formula 2 seasons,” explained Nicholas, inheriting the number of Nico Rosberg with whom he also won the World Cup in 2016 before retiring.
Alexander Albon – 23
Like Norris, the Thai (who returns to Formula 1 after a year off) is also an ardent fan of Valentino Rossi. He also did not want to inherit the full number, opting for the exact half. In the days of karting, however, he wore it several times with the sticker “The Doctor” always close by.
Valtteri Bottas – 77
Another one who would have liked the 7 for himself is the last Finn left on the grid. In the end, as for Sainz, he chose to double the amount also meeting his marketing needs: the number replaces the pair of “T” present in his name and surname (Val77eri Bo77as).
Guanyu Zhou – 24
The Chinese will be the only rookie on the starting grid in 2022. For his debut with Alfa Romeo he chose 24, without explaining the reasons. Before him there were ten world champions to use this number: Nino Farina, Mike Hawthorn, Graham Hill, Phil Hill, John Surtees, Jack Brabham, Jim Clark, Emerson Fittipaldi, Niki Lauda and James Hunt.
Mick Schumacher – 47
A fallback choice, but not too much, for the young German from Haas. He would have wanted either 4 (linked to the number with which he won the F3 European Championship) or 7 (the number of titles of his father Michael), but both were already occupied in 2020 by Norris and Raikkonen. So Mick decided to join them, later discovering a curious analogy: “If we add up all the days of the family’s birthday, the result is 47. A very nice coincidence for me”.
Nikita Mazepin – 9
The Russian, a much discussed character even before starting his adventure in Formula 1, has never clearly defined the choice of number 9. He would have preferred 99, the year of birth, but occupied by Antonio Giovinazzi since 2019. Therefore, he would have decided to cut the figures in half.
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