Every 2025 F1 driver number — and why they chose them

As is his right as reigning drivers’ world champion, Max Verstappen will run No1 on his Red Bull for the fourth consecutive year in 2025.

But when the Dutchman is eventually dethroned, he’ll return to No33 — a number he used throughout his junior career and initial F1 seasons, to great success.

Lando Norris had considered choosing No46 as his F1 race number, in tribute to motor sport hero Valentino Rossi. But the Briton instead decided otherwise, stating he didn’t want to be a “copycat” and soon settled on No4.

“Four was the best one in the end, mainly because it fitted very nicely into my logo,” he said.

F2 champion Gabriel Bortoleto’s rookie year will see the return of No5 to the F1 grid, which was last used by four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel — who retired from the series in 2022.

The Brazilian has had success with the number before, as it adorned the front of his title-winning F3 car in 2022, and will hope to carry that same form over into his first year with Sauber.

Isack Hadjar has had a long-term connection with No6, having used it during his karting days as a junior in France.

The number was previously used by Nicholas Latifi, who left Williams following the 2021 season. Before him, it adorned the nosecone of 2016 F1 world champion Nico Rosberg.

Jack Doohan’s 2025 Alpine will carry No7 — a number last used by 2007 F1 world champion Kimi Räikkönen, who retired in 2021.

The Aussie has used the number before, most notably in 2019 when he raced for Räikkönen’s Double R team in EuroFormula. He then continued to use it in 2020 during his F3 Asia campaign.

“I really wanted to go with a number that I raced with before, something that had meaning for me,” said Doohan. “I’m really looking forward to continuing it on and make it my own and getting some luck from number seven.”

Before reaching F1, Pierre Gasly had already formed a special connection with the number 10, having raced it to great success in the 2013 Formula Renault European Championship — where he took the title by a dominant margin.

But the inspiration behind the Frenchman’s driver number choice originally stems from football legend Zinedine Zidane, who wore the number 10 shirt while playing for France.

The No12 is a special one in F1 circles, as it was previously used by a young Ayrton Senna, who raced with it for his first grand prix win in 1985 right through to his first drivers’ title in 1988.

The Brazilian maestro was part of the inspiration behind Kimi Antonelli’s number choice for his rookie F1 campaign in 2025. But the Italian has been in No12 cars since his F4 days, and sees “no reason to change it” for the coming season.

Fernando Alonso’s special connection with No14 dates back to his junior days in karting.

“When I was 14 years old, the 14th of July, and with the go kart number 14, I was world champion,” explained the Spaniard. “From that moment I had no doubt that 14 is my number.”

Charles Leclerc had his heart set on No7 ahead of his F1 debut in 2018. But since it was being used by Kimi Räikkönen, he had to get a little more creative.

He settled on No16, partly because it was his birthday, but also because “one plus six equals seven”.

Superstition was the main reason behind Lance Stroll’s choice of No18 for his F1 driver number, having previously won titles with it in Formula 3 and Formula 4.

“I’m a little bit superstitious, not very superstitious but little things like that are important to me,” he said.

“I’ve just stuck with it ever since and I don’t want to change.”

Yuki Tsunoda had originally opted for No11 ahead of his F1 debut in 2021, as he’d previously used it in karting.

But since it was already in use by Sergio Perez, the Japanese driver elected to double it up and use No22.

In similar fashion to Lando Norris, Alex Albon looked to MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi for inspiration when it came to picking his F1 driver number.

But, not wanting to replace The Doctor himself, Albon elected to halve the Italian’s race number (No46) and settle for No23.

The No27 is another special number in Formula 1, having previously adorned the front of Ayrton Senna’s title-winning McLaren MP4/5B in 1990, as well as Gilles Villeneuve’s Ferrari.

In 2025, it will sit proudly with Nico Hülkenberg at Sauber. But the German’s reason for choosing the number is a little more personal, as No27 is the day (19) and month (August/8) of his birth added together (19+8=27).

Liam Lawson has chosen to pay tribute to his karting mentor, who had run No30 on his own kart and taught the Kiwi “everything I know”.

“[30] wasn’t actually the very first number I drove with, that was 18,” explained Lawson. But [in] my first year of go kart racing, I moved into a team, and there was a guy who looked after me, who became like my hero, my idol, when I was a kid in go karts, and he ran with number 30 – so I picked number 30 because of him.

“I’ve held that number all the way through until today. I’ve told him as well that I’m bringing our number into Formula 1 and he’s ****ing stoked!”

Esteban Ocon took inspiration from his own junior career when it came to picking his F1 driver number.

While running No31, the Frenchman had what he describes as the best year of his career in 2007, winning the 2007 Championnat de France title in the Minime category in karting.

He has since carried that success over into F1, winning the 2021 Hungarian GP with the same race number.

Lewis Hamilton has won six of his seven F1 world championship with No44 adorned on his car. But his special relationship with the figure began much, much earlier.

“When I was eight, we got a really old go-kart and it was owned by, like, five or six different families,” the Briton explained. “It was from the back of the newspaper. My dad got this kart, rebuilt it and we had to enter our first race and my dad didn’t know what number to use. And on the number plate of his car was F44.

“That’s the number we raced with for many years. It’s the number that my family recognised the most. It’s the number that has been loyal to me and to my fans.”

Carlos Sainz took a marketing-first approach to his F1 driver number choice.

The Spaniard originally wanted No5, but since it was, at the time, being used by Sebastian Vettel, Sainz chose 55 instead.

“One S is one five. The other S is another five. So, it’s a 55,” he explained.

George Russell races with the ‘family number’ in Formula 1.

As well as being stuck to the side of his Mercedes, No63 was previously used by Russell’s brother Benjy — an accomplished racer in his own right who in 2007 won the 2007 Super 1 National Kart Championship in the Rotax Max category.

Even in his relatively young F1 career, Oscar Piastri has already seen plenty of success with No81.

The Aussie originally raced with No11 during his go-kart years, but was forced to switch at the Victorian State titles after another driver entered with the same number.

“I don’t know what inspired me to pick 81,” explained Piastri. “But I changed the first one for a number eight, and it stuck ever since. So, there you go!”

Oliver Bearman is another driver who will race with a ‘family number’ in Formula 1 — the No87 having previously been used by his father, David.

“It’s the number that I’ve raced since the beginning,” said the Briton.

“It’s a number that my dad raced with because I’m born on May 8 and my brother on August 7, so 87 was the number of choice and that will continue to be the case.”