Does anybody know how the car numbers are assigned to the teams? Ferrari is obviously going to loose #1 and #2, so what are they going to get? I really don't know how the number game works. If I had a say: #27 and #28 <sigh>
I am pretty sure they are assigned based on where Ferrari ends up in the constructor's championship. So say Ferrari end up number 3 in the constructor's championship.... the cars will be #5 and #6.
You might be right, but in that case they would have changed the rules. I mean when the Ferraris had #27 and #28 they weren't 27th on the grid. I know the garage slot is organized by constructor's position, but I thought the car numbers were assigned differently. Dunno.
#5 and #6 I´m afraid. No more #27 and #28. Max changed the rule to assign the numbers when Schumacher signed for Ferrari and came with the #1, then changed to #5 and #6 and #3 and #4 later, depending on their final position in the Constructors Championship. A dirty move, Max, I won´t forgive that, I always wanted to see a Ferrari #27 or #28 winning the World Championship.
I actually think the FIA has something to do with assigning the numbers in the beginning of the season too. There might be a serious problem this year though.... imagine if Alonso won the Driver's championship BUT McLaren won the Constructor's title. So will Kimi be #1 and Juan # 2 ?? Or will Alonso be #1 ?? They should really go back to the old way of assigning numbers... #27 and #28 were good numbers.
The champion and his team mate get #1 and #2. Constructor champions get #3 and #4. Just like Mika Hakkinen and Ferrari in the 2000 season.
2 years ago the FIA said they aren't going to change numbers at the end of this year due to pictures, merchandise etc.... I kid you not, I read about it and saw it on Speed tv. I don't know if they are keeping with that thought or if they have decided not to go that route.
You mean when Michael walked from Bennetton (Renault) and went to Ferrari in 1996? I believe Ferrari had the #1 car then, even though they didnt win the titles. Ernesto
Why? It was certainly a brave thing and it eventually paid off, but I'm not sure he himself had some moments of doubts about his decision when it took a lot longer than expected to turn the Scuderia around. For the sake of the Scuderia I'm glad he made that decision, but I'm not sure I'd call it the smartest move in his career. Signing with Weber, signing with Sauber, taking the Jordan test drive and eventually signing with Benetton were probably more important moves for his career.
It would be nice to see them pick their own numbers again. Schumi used to race #19 IIRC growing up. All the advertising stuff is crap. Gretzky is forever 99, Jordan is forever 23, Rossi will be 46 til he retires, Earnhardt was 3, etc. It would be nice to associate an F1 driver the same way. That might reintroduce the long lost character / personality in F1 though, which would be horrible...
Yet more Rah Rah Rah Blah Blah Blah up with people BS. The numbers should be assigned to the driver based upon the points total from the last season. If the driver did not race the previous year the # starts at 50 and is issued in a lottery system.
Ferrari got #27 and 28 in 1981. They had carried #1 and 2 in 1980 because of Scheckter's title in '79. Williams carried #27 & 28 in 1980, and when Alan Jones won the championship, they swapped numbers with Ferrari. In those days the numbers had originally been assigned based on the results in 1973, and stayed the same every year, except that the new World Champion's team traded numbers with whoever carried #1 and 2 the year before. Sometime in the '90s that system was scrapped and all the numbers reassigned every year based on the previous year's results.
Nope it was three World champs with Williams, two years in a row no less. Nigel Mansell retired and went to Champcars in 92 then in 93 Alain Prost retired. Damon Hill got stuck with the number 0 both times, lol. After that Damon Hill got the title and was not resigned by Sir Frank so i think HHF got number 0 that time, i might be wrong about that though. Then JV won the title so there was finally a #1 williams on the grid which was promptly smoked by everyone that year.
If the FIA and Bernie have a brain and can see a promotional advantage when they see one: #27 and #28. Saying that those numbers were hardly lucky for Ferrari ... Pete
I disagree. The Number 1 should be reserved for the F1 driver with the most F1 World Championships. It should be retired for Michael Schumacher untill someone can beat his record. It would be a great gift from F1 and F1 fans to Michael who has given so much to the sport!
Oh boy, think about it: We would not have had a #1 since Fangio's fifth title until Schumacher's sixth. Duh!
