Only the current world champion is permitted to change his or her race number. All Formula 1 drivers select a permanent race number that they use for the duration of their F1 careers.
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Every Formula 1 driver has a set race number. In order to improve fan familiarity of the drivers on the track, the championship introduced this idea in 2014. The starting positions have previously been assigned based on the final placing in the previous world championship standings. Only the world champion for the upcoming season is now eligible to change his number; he is given the option to switch from his permanent number to the number one. Other drivers are required to adhere to their designated number. For many drivers, there is a narrative hidden behind the selection of each number. They may consider it to be their lucky number or have fond recollections of it. All the statistics for the 2023 Formula 1 season are listed in this article.
| Number | Driver |
| 1 |  Â Max Verstappen |
| 4 |  Â Lando Norris |
| 10 |  Â Pierre Gasly |
| 11 |  Â Sergio Perez |
| 14 |  Â Fernando Alonso |
| 16 |  Â Charles Leclerc |
| 18 |  Â Lance Stroll |
| 20 |  Â Kevin Magnussen |
| 22 |  Â Yuki Tsunoda |
| 23 |  Â Alexander Albon |
| 24 |  Â Guanyu Zhou |
| 27 |  Â Nico HĂĽlkenberg |
| 31 | Â Esteban Ocon |
| 44 | Â Lewis Hamilton |
| 55 | Â Carlos Sainz |
| 63 | Â George Russell |
| 77 |  Â Valtteri Bottas |
| 81 |  Â Oscar Piastri |
| TBC | Â Nyck de Vries |
| TBC |  Â Logan Sargeant |
Read More- Max Verstappen will continue to compete in race number 1 in Formula One in 2023
Max Verstappen chose to remain in the #1 position for the 2023 Formula 1 season as the current world champion. The Red Bull driver already announced that he would change his regular #33 after winning the championship in 2021 at the season-ending race in Abu Dhabi, and he has chosen the same again after winning his second title. “How frequently do you get the chance to start your Formula 1 career with the number one position? You’re never sure, “said Verstappen. “If I don’t win the world championship, I can always drop back to number 33. But I will continue to use number 1 as long as I hold the title of world champion.”
Lando Norris has assigned the #4 to his McLaren, citing: “There is no story, that is the tale. Although I haven’t utilised that particular number in every racing class, it goes well with the hashtag #L4ndo.” Norris is a huge fan of MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi and was debating using his #46 but chose the #4 because he didn’t want to be seen as a “copycat.”
On his automobile, Sergio Perez drives a #11. Football, not motorsport, is where it all began. Ivan Zamorano, a former player for Club America, is particularly beloved by the Mexican. “I enjoyed the way Bam-Bam played and scored. I started to like him, so I selected that number for the race. I still use the number 11 everywhere, even in my email address!” said Perez.
In Formula 1, Charles Leclerc drives the #16 car. On October 16, 1997, the Ferrari driver was conceived. Initially, he preferred the fortunate number seven, but Kimi Raikkonen had already claimed it. Leclerc then requested position 10, but Pierre Gasly was already driving it. He settled on #16 after doing some basic math: “Because one plus six is seven,” he said.
Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time Formula One champion, wears the 44. The British driver used this number in his first kart race because, at the time, he wasn’t sure which race number to pick; instead, he took it from the licence plate of his father’s vehicle: F44. He wanted to use that number in Formula 1 because it served as the cornerstone of his prosperous career. The British driver maintained his #44 even in the years when he was legally entitled to compete with #1 as the world champion.
Carlos Sainz has assigned the #55 Ferrari. “My first name’s S is like a 5, and my last name’s S is like a 5, so that makes #55,” Additionally, he prefers the number 5, but Sebastian Vettel already owns that. Using his own word game, he rose to position #55.
George Russell employs the 63. This has been our family’s number ever since my brother used to race a kart with the number 63, he said. 63 can also be interpreted as GR, the Mercedes driver’s initials, with a little imagination. Some people mistakenly think it stands for Great Britain, or GB.
In case of a potential comeback, a driver who quits Formula One can continue to wear his previous number for up to two years. The number cannot be used by another driver during this time. For instance, Nico Hulkenberg could choose #27 and Alexander Albon #23 if Fernando Alonso decides to make a comeback after a two-season absence. Drivers who have been away for a longer period of time must select a new starting number.
