F1 2014: The reasons behind the numbers Formula 1 drivers have been given the opportunity to pick permanent numbers this year, which will be used for the rest of their careers. But what were the reasons behind their choices? GPUpdate.net reveals all... Sebastian Vettel Number 1 for 2014 Number 5 for career As the reigning World Champion, Vettel is the only driver permitted to use number 1 for the 2014 season. He used his permanent number, five, in karting in 2001 and won his first Formula 1 world title with it in 2010. Daniel Ricciardo Number 3 This was Ricciardos first ever number in karting. He was also a fan of NASCARs Dale Earnhardt growing up. Lewis Hamilton Number 44 Hamilton used this number during the Champions Of The Future karting series in 1996. It is also the combined total of his previous Formula 1 car numbers since debuting in 2007, these being: 2, 22, 1, 2, 3, 4, 10. Nico Rosberg Number 6 This is the lucky number of his future wife, Vivian Sibold, and father, Keke. Ex-Formula 1 driver Keke won his sole World Championship with the number during the 1982 campaign, while driving for the Williams team. Fernando Alonso Number 14 Alonso won a karting race at the age of 14, on July 14 1996, with a kart that sported the number 14. Kimi Räikkönen Number 7 Räikkönen used this number last season and, in his typical tone, said that he saw no reason to change it. Romain Grosjean Number 8 Grosjeans wife, French television presenter and journalist Marion Jollès Grosjean, was born on December 8, he started dating her in 2008 and he views his new son, Sacha, as the eighth wonder of the world. Pastor Maldonado Number 13 Maldonado has not provided the reason behind his decision to choose 13, a number considered unlucky in many countries but lucky in others. The Venezuelan is reviving a number that has rarely been seen in motor racing. Jenson Button Number 22 This is the number used by Button during his title-winning season of 2009, while driving for Brawn GP. Kevin Magnussen Number 20 Magnussen has chosen to hold on to this number after winning the Formula Renault 3.5 title with it last year. Nico Hülkenberg Number 27 This number is the total of Hülkenbergs birthday dates (19/8). The German also sees it as a cool choice. Sergio Pérez Number 11 In his early karting days, Pérez consistently used the number 11. It also features in his email address. Adrian Sutil Number 99 Sutil was straightforward when asked about his decision, stating, in my life its only the maximum! Esteban Gutiérrez Number 21 When asked about his choice, Gutiérrez went no further than explaining that 21 is his lucky number. Jean-Éric Vergne Number 25 This is a number that Vergne previously used in his early karting days. He was also born on April 25. Daniil Kvyat Number 26 Like team-mate Vergne, Kvyats number features his date of birth. The 19-year-old Russian also contested his first kart race with the number, but has curiously suggested, the story about the number has to be made. Felipe Massa Number 19 Massa won a selection of championships with this number in the early stages of his career, and says it has always brought him luck. When 19 was not previously available, he switched to the number 91. Valtteri Bottas Number 77 Bottas has not publicly discussed the reason behind his number choice, but it certainly works well in terms of marketing and social media. He has already tweeted with the hashtags #Val77eri and #BO77AS. Jules Bianchi Number 17 Bianchi was unable to secure any of the three numbers (seven, 27 and 77) he applied for, so he settled for 17. Max Chilton Number 4 Chilton has not given an official reason but, like Bottas, he tweeted soon afterwards with the hashtag #M4X. Kamui Kobayashi Number 10 This was the first number that Kobayashi raced with in Formula 1, when he substituted for the injured Timo Glock at the end of the 2009 season. However, the Japanese driver has revealed that number 4 was his first choice. Marcus Ericsson Number 9 Ericsson is another driver to keep his number choice a secret, but he did start karting at the age of nine. -abi
Posted on: Sat, 08 Feb 2014 13:09:15 +0000