When was the last time there wasn't a #1 F1 car?

"PushToStart" (pushtostart) 02/26/2015 at 14:16 • Filed to: None

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Since Hamilton is keeping #44 for this season despite having the option of using the #1 reserved for the World Champion, there obviously won't be a #1 car on the F1 grid this year. When was the last time there was no #1? I couldn't immediately remember any season where there wasn't, especially since drivers have had their numbers assigned to them in the past years.

Cherry_man1 > PushToStart 02/26/2015 at 14:19

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Honestly i don't follow F1 too closely, but that is curious that there isn't a No.1 car.

PushToStart > Cherry_man1 02/26/2015 at 14:21

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Yup. Hamilton probably just didn't want to give up 44 after he got it tattooed behind his ear, lol

Cherry_man1 > PushToStart 02/26/2015 at 14:21

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Dumb Tattoo.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Cherry_man1 02/26/2015 at 14:23

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It's Hamilton.

DConsorti > PushToStart 02/26/2015 at 14:24

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If I'm not mistaken, the last year that it happened was 1994, when the '93 champion (Alain Prost) retired and there wasn't a number one (Willians used 0 - Damon Hill and 2 - Ayrton Senna)

DrScientist > PushToStart 02/26/2015 at 14:29

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this guy never ceases to amaze with the tacky style.

is he for real with those earrings? i understand they're likely well into 6 figures worth of diamonds, but come on.

MysticStick > DConsorti 02/26/2015 at 14:29

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confirmed (as it were) via f1fanatic:

no number one car in the field for the first time since the 1994 season, when reigning champions Alain Prost had retired from the sport. Using the number one has been the champion's prerogative since 1975.

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2014/11/25/ham…

PushToStart > DrScientist 02/26/2015 at 14:30

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Yeah, he definitely "does his own thing".

I think he secretly wishes he was a rapper, but whatever.

PushToStart > DConsorti 02/26/2015 at 14:32

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Ahh yes, I believe you are correct!

DConsorti > PushToStart 02/26/2015 at 14:34

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well, 32 years following F1 payed off...LOL (BTW, I follow F1 since I was 3 ('84) and cheered for Nicky Lauda back then, although I'm brazilian!)

McMike > PushToStart 02/26/2015 at 14:49

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I was wondering if this was going to happen.

Drivers jump in with both feet into this "number for life" idea, and now they don't want to give it up - even if they earn the #1 that they've been dreaming of wearing since they were in karts.

I've seen so many drivers putting their number into merchandise, personal branding, social media hashtags, and (in Hamilton's case) prison tattoos, that this makes sense.

PushToStart > McMike 02/26/2015 at 15:00

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Exactly. To be #1 seems to me like it would be a very special privelege, and even though it's not actually the championship itself, it certainly represents it. Who wouldn't want that?

As you say though, some drivers desire to turn their numbers into a brand (like Hamilton, #r8main, #m4x, #bo77as, etc.) but I don't doubt that others would snatch the chance to be #1 again. (like Vettel, Alonso, Raikkonen, etc)

McMike > PushToStart 02/26/2015 at 15:19

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Raikkonen,

I imagine this is how the conversation went when Kimi was told to pick a number.

"Kimi, you need to pick a number for next year"

"Why"

"Because they want you to"

"What number do I have now?"

"7"

"Is there anything wrong with that number"

"No"

"OK, I use that number"

PushToStart > McMike 02/26/2015 at 16:03

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Yup, that's what my first thought was when I saw that he was going to be 7 again lol