Playing the Numbers 23/03/2009 Over at F1 Fanatic, Keith Collantine has posted his F1 2009: Quick pre-season guide and this includes a list of the drivers and their numbers. In the comments a mini-discussion has developed because, as far as I am aware, the FIA have not assigned numbers to the two Brawn GP drivers as yet.Nigel Mansell and Red 5The present system for allotting numbers is dependent upon the finishing position of the teams in the previous season, apart from the Drivers Champion, who is always given number 1 and his team mate number 2. Thus Hamilton has number 1 this year, even though McLaren did not win the Constructors Championship. It is a convention that the lead driver in each team is given the lower of the two numbers allotted to the team, although this does not always hold true, as in the case of STR this year; Buemi, a rookie, is number 11 whereas Bourdais, surely the lead driver in view of his greater experience, is number 12.Numbers tend to be of academic interest only these days anyway, partly because the system of assigning them according to the previous year's positions means that they change every year, and also because so many teams do not have an overt lead driver policy, rendering the allotment of lower and higher numbers less meaningful. It was not always so, however.Until recently, the teams retained their allotted numbers year after year, only the champion and his team mate receiving 1 and 2, while the outgoing champion and team mate took the relinquished numbers of the winners. This meant that a team could keep their numbers for long periods and Tyrrell, for instance, retained numbers 3 and 4 for over twenty years. The result was that numbers often became associated with particular drivers, Gilles Villeneuve's 27 and Nigel Mansell's Red 5 quickly emerging as a sort of trademark that was instantly recognizable.NASCAR has a system that allots numbers to drivers permanently and the fans frequently refer to their favorite drivers by number only, while the commentators almost exclusively refer to the cars by number. F1 escaped such a close association between driver and number, perhaps because there were usually four numbers that changed season to season.Back in the eighties, the FIA mandated a reduction in the size and positioning of numbers on the cars. This was largely because the numbers were taking up valuable advertising space but the new specification resulted in the numbers becoming illegible to race viewers. This robbed the numbers of significance; it was only the rabid enthusiast who would memorize each driver's number. I would be quite surprised if a survey were to reveal that a majority of F1's TV audience even realize that the cars have numbers on them.So the matter of driver numbers is an acquired taste at best. The real enthusiasts can delve into them in a quest for hidden significance (BMW has swapped Kubica's and Heidfeld's numbers this year - accident or a measure of the team's assessment of their drivers?) but the truth is that they have no meaning at all, beyond the champion's number 1, of course. They can be classed as one of the fine details of the sport, something that we discuss over the long days of the off season, when nothing else is happening.But I notice that Sutil has a lower number than Fisichella...UpdateKeith's timing is perfect - today the FIA has issued an amended entry list which assigns the numbers 21 and 22 to Button and Barrichello. The Force India drivers move up to 19 and 20, Sutil still ahead of Fisichella and the Ferrari drivers swap numbers, Ferrari having requested this in view of Massa's greater points score last year. Toro Rosso too have asked for Bourdais to be listed first and he becomes number 11, Buemi moving down to 12.
Clive
Ollie
But I notice that Sutil has a lower number than Fisichella...
Alianora La Canta Sutil had a lower number than Fisichella last year and it didn't help him much in the championship. The reason is that when the initial team entry list had to be in for the 2008 championship, Force India knew it would have Sutil in its line-up but hadn't made its mind up who his team-mate would be. As a result, Sutil automatically got "20" and number 21 went to someone called TBA. When "TBA" turned out to be Fisichella a few weeks later, he got 21 because that was the only number left. The fact that under traditional conventions he would have been given number 20 was made irrelevant by the team entry procedure.If I had to guess, the reason why nothing changed this year is because the person filling the form in either automatically associated the two drivers with their current numbers or Force India couldn't see the point in the minor additional workload involved in swapping the numbers. The latter would underline the point Clive made in the entry that the numbering convention has little value.Personally, I think the most significant thing in relation to this is that BMW swapped their numbers around. I think this is indicative of a certain meticulousness at BMW, which will serve it well in the upcoming season...I remember, in the early days of watching F1, thinking that 0 was Damon Hill's personal number, and feeling slightly strange when he got number 5 in 1995 instead... Date Added: 23/03/2009
Clive Ollie: I thought of mentioning Damon's number 0 but decided that it was probably complicating things too much. It was not a particularly good idea anyway (giving rise to thoughts of the driver being a big zero) and I doubt that the FIA would use it again. Max and/or Bernie would think of a much sillier system... Date Added: 23/03/2009
Clive Alianora: Regarding BMW, you're right, it would be so typical of the team to have everything in the right place. Gotta love Dr Mario! Date Added: 23/03/2009
D Winn "which assigns the numbers 20 and 21 to Button and Barrichello. The Force India drivers move up to 19 and 20"Two number 20 cars - that will be fun Clive :)I guess that will be the Force-Brawn car ! Date Added: 23/03/2009
Clive Oops, the dreaded typo strikes! Thanks for pointing it out - duly amended now. Date Added: 23/03/2009
Ollie Just for the sake of completion, the FIA published the final entry list earlier (but after Clive had published this post), which has Brawn as taking the final 20 and 21 numbers, the lower going to Jenson Button. Force India get promoted to 18 (Sutil) and 19 (Fisichella). Date Added: 23/03/2009
Ollie And I probably should have checked the post first to see if it had already been updated. D'Oh! :) Date Added: 23/03/2009
Ollie And for the third comment in a row...
Ferrari drivers swap numbers, Ferrari having requested this in view of Massa's greater points score last year.
Clive I doubt it would worry Raikkonen in the slightest - in fact, it would surprise me if he even knew what number he was last year. If things were the other way around, however, I can see Massa sulking a bit... ;)Thanks for the update, even if I beat you to it. You did the work, you deserve the kudos! Date Added: 23/03/2009
Pat Caulfield Clive, In NASCAR, I believe the number is assigned to the Team (not the owner or driver), e.g. when Dale Jr. moved to Hendricks he was not allowed to take the number 8 with him and Hendricks ended up buying the number 88 from Yates (?). Since Teams run cars that may be owned by others, e.g. Jimmie Johnsons' cars are owned by team mate Jeff Gordon, that is another reason the Team gets the number.Understanding the rules in NASCAR is difficult since they are not made public.It was interesting during the lead-in to yesterday's race that the new F1 point system was a point of discussion both in the commentators booth, but also according to reports in the garage.Pat Date Added: 23/03/2009
Clive My NASCAR education continues apace - thanks Pat. I assumed that the numbers stayed with the drivers since so often the fans refer to the driver just by his number. Guess that makes an ass outa me!I have noticed that interest in F1 is quite high in NASCAR, even if it is just to say how much better the American series is. There is definitely a sense of competing with F1 - which is quite strange when you consider that one is an open wheel formula and the other essentially stock cars. Perhaps it's caused by NASCAR now being the most popular form of motor racing in the States and the fans carry the flag therefore. Date Added: 23/03/2009
Toyotafan The Americans are just trying to prove how great their dream is :) Date Added: 23/03/2009
Journeyer "I've always presumed that the reason why Bourdais (for example) has a higher number than his less-experienced team mate is because if a driver continues with a team, his number remains in sequence with previous. Unless he becomes champion, of course. Last year I believe Vettel was given the lower of the numbers at STR, and therefore Bourdais continues to have the higher one."Prior to the number swap, Buemi had a lower number because he was confirmed way before Bourdais. So much so that Bourdais didn't even make it to the initial entry list.This is similar to Alia's explanation of Sutil-Fisi."My NASCAR education continues apace - thanks Pat. I assumed that the numbers stayed with the drivers since so often the fans refer to the driver just by his number. Guess that makes an ass outa me!"To be fair, MotoGP does have that system, where the numbers are chosen by the drivers themselves, so even if they move teams, they keep their numbers. Date Added: 24/03/2009
Number 38 As someone who has experience in the numbers game .....I was assigned # 38 at Watkins Glen 1973. Of course when you OWN and ENTER your own car it's a pain changing numbers at each event, the club eventually decided to ASSIGN permanent numbers, some drivers got choices, others accepted their Watkins Glen number and even when racing with other clubs, some 200 starts over 25 years only once did my number ever conflict with another #38.What's in the power of a number ...... the day two red cars, both #38 confused the timers and A.J. Foyts champ car was flagged to change his number !!!! I lived a charmed life. Date Added: 26/03/2009
Clive Great story, Number 38. And proof, if it were needed, that there is only ONE Number 38! ;) Date Added: 26/03/2009
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