Each Formulation 1 driver races with a hard and fast quantity. The sequence launched the idea of everlasting numbers in 2014 to make drivers extra recognisable to followers on observe, as numbers had been beforehand assigned based mostly on the ultimate standings on the earth championship.
For a few years, solely the world champion was allowed to vary their race quantity: they got the choice to swap their everlasting quantity for the enduring #1. All different drivers needed to stick to the quantity that they had initially chosen. Nonetheless, following a current rule change, different drivers can now additionally submit a request to vary their quantity – one thing has already made use of.
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For a lot of drivers, there’s a good story behind their chosen race quantity. It might be their fortunate quantity, or it could maintain particular reminiscences. On this article, we run by way of all of the race numbers for the 2026 Formulation 1 season and the reasons behind them.
The 2026 Formulation 1 driver race numbers
1
3
Max Verstappen
5
6
10
11
12
14
16
18
23
27
30
31
41
43
44
55
63
77
81
87
Lando NorrisLando Norris, McLaren
Lando Norris, McLaren
Race quantity: 1Team:
As reigning world champion, Lando Norris has the precise to decide on to race with the #1. After clinching his first world title in Abu Dhabi 2025, that’s precisely what he determined to do. The Brit has due to this fact swapped his typical #4 for #1, which he has taken over from Max Verstappen after 4 years.
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That was a logical selection for Norris. “The quantity is there for a cause: you must battle for it, work onerous to earn it. Everybody at McLaren – my mechanics, my engineers, everybody who’s a part of the staff – can put on that quantity with pleasure too,” he defined to Sky Sports activities on the finish of 2025.
Max VerstappenMax Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing
Max Verstappen, Crimson Bull Racing
Race quantity: 3Team:
Max Verstappen had to surrender the #1 on the finish of 2025. A return to #33 appeared the plain choice, however in 2026 the four-time world champion has #3 on his Crimson Bull RB22 as a substitute. He has taken over that quantity from , who left Formulation 1 in mid-2024.
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Till 2025, drivers had been required to make use of the identical race quantity all through their careers. Verstappen was in a position to change to #3 is because of a change within the laws. Drivers can now submit a request and, whether it is accredited, they’re allowed to vary. Verstappen additionally acquired Ricciardo’s approval, because the Australian technically retained the rights to the quantity till mid-2026.
It isn’t notably stunning that Verstappen switched to quantity 3. It was his fortunate quantity when he was youthful, and for that cause he had all the time needed to make use of it in Formulation 1, however Ricciardo already had it. “Quantity 33 was all the time wonderful, however I merely assume one 3 appears higher than two 3s,” he defined to Viaplay on the finish of 2025. “After all I all the time mentioned it stood for double luck, however I’ve already had my luck in Formulation 1.”
Gabriel BortoletoGabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Crew
Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Crew
Race quantity: 5Team:
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Gabriel Bortoleto selected quantity 5 for his debut in 2025. This quantity was used for a few years by former world champion . The rationale Bortoleto picked #5 may be very easy: he received the FIA Formulation 3 championship in 2023 with that very same quantity.
Isack Hadjar
Race quantity: 6Team: Crimson Bull
Crimson Bull driver Isack Hadjar races with #6. He has usually used that quantity previously and due to this fact has good reminiscences of it. He was already racing with #6 in his early karting days, and his promotion to F1 means it’s the first time in historical past {that a} race quantity has been utilized by three totally different drivers, with and having beforehand raced with it.
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Pierre GaslyPierre Gasly, Alpine
Pierre Gasly, Alpine
Race quantity: 10Team:
Alpine driver Pierre Gasly carries the everlasting race quantity 10. With that quantity, the Frenchman received the Formulation Renault 2.0 Eurocup title in 2013. He’s additionally a giant fan of footballer Zinedine Zidane, who wore quantity 10 for France.
Sergio Perez
Race quantity: 11Team:
Sergio Perez returned to Formulation 1 in 2026 together with his common quantity 11. The Cadillac driver has used 11 since 2014 and in addition raced with it earlier in karting. The motivation behind that selection is that Perez was a giant fan of footballer Ivan Zamorano, who wore shirt quantity 11 for Mexican membership CF America for one season.
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Kimi AntonelliAndrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Race quantity: 12Team:
Mercedes expertise Kimi Antonelli made his Formulation 1 debut with quantity 12. “There are a number of good numbers, however 12 is a particular one. That’s due to an idol. I’ve additionally raced with it myself ever since F4. It all the time went effectively with #12, so I see no cause to vary it.” The idol in query is Ayrton Senna, the legendary Brazilian raced with #12 between 1985 and his title-winning 1988 season.
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Fernando Alonso
Race quantity: 14Team: Aston Martin
Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso makes use of quantity 14, which dates again to an occasion from way back. On 14 July 1996, on the age of 14, he turned karting world champion in a kart carrying quantity 14. “From that second on, I knew #14 was my quantity,” he beforehand remarked.
Charles LeclercCharles Leclerc, Ferrari
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
Race quantity: 16Team:
Charles Leclerc races in Formulation 1 with the everlasting quantity 16. The Ferrari driver was born on 16 October 1997. His first selection was fortunate quantity 7, however that was already taken by . He then needed #10, however his good buddy Pierre Gasly was already utilizing it. After a easy calculation, he arrived at #16: “As a result of 1 plus 6 is 7,” he defined.
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Lance Stroll
Race Quantity: 18Team: Aston Martin
Lance Stroll races his Aston Martin with quantity 18. Within the early days of his profession, he received the Italian Formulation 4 championship with that quantity, and he additionally made his Formulation 1 debut for shortly after his 18th birthday. “I’m somewhat superstitious, however I like holding on to small issues which might be necessary to me. I don’t wish to change these,” the Canadian mentioned.
Alex AlbonAlexander Albon, Williams
Alexander Albon, Williams
Race quantity: 23Team: Williams
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Alex Albon returned to Formulation 1 in 2022 after a season away. He saved quantity 23, on his return, which he had additionally used throughout the first part of his F1 profession. Within the sporting world, that is an iconic quantity. Basketball gamers LeBron James and Michael Jordan wore it, as did footballer David Beckham. Like fellow driver Lando Norris, Albon is a giant fan of Valentino Rossi. In karting, the British-Thai driver raced with Rossi’s #46, however for Formulation 1 he determined to take half of that quantity.
Nico Hulkenberg
Race quantity: 27Team: Audi
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Since his full-time F1 return in 2023, Nico Hulkenberg has as soon as once more used quantity 27 – which he additionally used throughout his earlier stint in within the sequence. There isn’t any notably particular story behind the selection: in the event you add collectively the day and month of his birthday, you get 27 – 19 August.
Liam LawsonLiam Lawson, Racing Bulls
Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls
Race quantity: 30Team:
Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson races with quantity 30. He explains: “I’ve been racing with that quantity since I used to be eight. It wasn’t my very first quantity, that was 18. However in my first 12 months of racing karts, there was somebody on the staff who actually took me beneath his wing. He turned my hero, my idol, once I was nonetheless somewhat child. He raced with quantity 30. Due to him, I selected that race quantity too. He taught me all the pieces about karting once I was younger. I’ve mainly used that quantity ever since.”
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Esteban Ocon
Race quantity: 31Team: Haas
Esteban Ocon makes use of quantity 31. The French F1 driver received his first karting title with that quantity in 2007, which he nonetheless sees as the most effective years of his profession. He additionally used #31 when he made his Formulation 1 check debut for Lotus in October 2014.
Arvid LindbladArvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls
Race quantity: 41Team: Racing Bulls
Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad turned the primary F1 driver to decide on everlasting race quantity 41 in 2026. The reason being twofold: on the one hand, the Brit needed a novel quantity that’s not often utilized in sport, and #41 additionally resembles the initials of his identify (AL).
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Franco Colapinto
Race quantity: 43Team: Alpine
Franco Colapinto has raced with quantity 43 since making his F1 debut in 2024. Amongst motorsport followers, that quantity turned well-known by way of the late Ken Block, however the Argentine had totally different causes for selecting it: his father used to race with it. Colapinto himself additionally received titles in karting and Spanish Formulation 4 in 2018 and 2019 with #43 on the automobile.
Lewis HamiltonLewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Race quantity: 44Team: Ferrari
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Seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton races with quantity 44. The Brit used that quantity in his first karting races. On the time, the younger Lewis didn’t know which race quantity to decide on, so he took the quantity from his father’s automobile registration: F44. With that quantity he laid the foundations for his profitable profession and due to this fact needed to make use of it in Formulation 1 as effectively. Even within the years when, as world champion, he had the precise to race with #1, Hamilton caught together with his trusted #44.
Carlos Sainz
Race quantity: 55Team: Williams
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Carlos Sainz selected quantity 55. “The S in my first identify appears like a 5 and the S in my surname does too, in order that makes #55,” which additionally creates a helpful hashtag: #Carlo55ainz. On prime of that, 5 is his favorite quantity, however that was already taken by Sebastian Vettel. This self-invented wordplay led him to 55.
George RussellGeorge Russell, Mercedes
George Russell, Mercedes
Race quantity: 63Team: Mercedes
George Russell makes use of quantity 63, which additionally has its roots previously: “My brother all the time karted with quantity 63, so since then it has change into our household quantity,” the Briton beforehand defined. With a little bit of creativity, 63 can be learn as GR, that are the Mercedes driver’s initials. Others see it as GB, standing for Nice Britain.
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Valtteri Bottas
Race quantity: 77Team: Cadillac
Quantity 77 has belonged to Valtteri Bottas since 2014, and the Finn continues to make use of it upon his return to the grid with Cadillac in 2026. Initially, he had checked out quantity seven, however in the end opted for the double seven.
“At first I believed I’d go for seven, however in the long run I made a decision 77 truly regarded fairly good,” Bottas as soon as defined. “I simply assume it’s a pleasant quantity. I’m probably not superstitious or something like that.”
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Oscar PiastriOscar Piastri, McLaren
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Race quantity: 81Team: McLaren
Oscar Piastri has chosen everlasting race quantity 81. He had already used that quantity in his karting years. The Australian began karting in his dwelling nation with #11. When he moved up the karting ladder, he was pressured to surrender 11 as a result of one other driver was already utilizing it. Piastri then selected #81. Within the junior system classes in Europe, he raced with numerous numbers, though he did once more use 81 in British F4 and the Formulation Renault Northern European Cup.
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Oliver Bearman
Race quantity: 87Team: Haas
Haas driver Oliver Bearman opted for a excessive race quantity: 87. There’s a household cause behind it, because the Brit defined: “I’ve raced with this quantity for a few years, as a result of my father was born on 8 Might and my brother on 7 August. So, 87 is my favorite quantity.”
Which race quantity can’t be utilized in Formulation 1?Jules Bianchi, Marussia MR03
Jules Bianchi, Marussia MR03
In Formulation 1, race quantity 17 can not be used. raced with that quantity on the time of his critical accident at Suzuka in 2014, and he later died from the accidents sustained in that crash. As a tribute, Formulation 1 retired that race quantity.
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How lengthy does a driver retain the precise to an F1 race quantity?
A driver who leaves the sequence can lay declare to their previous race quantity for 2 years within the occasion of a comeback. Throughout that interval, the quantity can’t be utilized by one other driver. That’s how Alonso was in a position to return after two seasons away and select #14 once more, and why Albon is again with #23 and Hulkenberg with #27.
When a driver returns after an extended absence, they’ve to decide on a race quantity once more. That may be their previous quantity, offered it’s nonetheless obtainable. If it isn’t, then they’ve to select a totally new one.
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These are the numbers that can’t be utilized in 2026.
2
Mid-2026
7
Mid-2027
17
Jules Bianchi
Completely retired
20
Finish of 2026
22
Finish of 2027
24
Finish of 2026
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