All the 2025 Formula One driver numbers confirmed in full

With the 2025 season now just weeks away, the driver numbers have been confirmed for what is sure to be another exhilarating year of Formula One action.

For the latest Formula One news, bookmark The South African website’s dedicated section for free-to-read content

With a quarter of the 2025 grid to be made up of rookies, there are several new numbers to look out for on-track.

These include some that have been held before by some very successful predecessors.

The 2025 Formula One season will consist of 24 races, the first of which will be held in Melbourne in Australia on 16 March, while the last race will be contested at the Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi on 7 December.

Why do F1 drivers have numbers?

According to the F1.com website, previously the drivers’ race numbers in Formula One were assigned based on each team’s ranking in the previous year’s championship.

However, in 2014 that system was changed, with the drivers then allowed to pick a number that would stick with them throughout their F1 career.

That rule was brought in to help increase the personal branding of the drivers, as well as allowing fans to identify their favourite drivers across multiple seasons regardless of which team they would be racing for.

That has proven to be the case.

For example, Lewis Hamilton has become synonymous with his number 44 – the number he also used in karting – while, in 2021, the seven-time world champion founded Mission 44, a charity advocating for greater representation, diversity and inclusion in motorsport.

How do drivers choose their numbers?

F1 drivers are allowed to choose a number between 2 and 99, which remains theirs for the duration of their career in the sport.

If they depart the sport for any reason – be it a retirement or anything else – then their numbers would be reserved for two seasons, preventing any newcomers in that period from selecting it.

The number 1 is still reserved for the reigning world champion, though drivers are not obliged to use it.

As a result, current four-time champion Max Verstappen races with the number 1, but the Dutchman ran with the number 33 prior to becoming champion for the first time in 2021.

Full list of driver numbers for the 2025 F1 grid

Alpine

Driver	Number	Previous owner of number
Jack Doohan	#7	Kimi Raikkonen
Pierre Gasly	#10	Kamui Kobayashi

Aston Martin

Driver	Number	Previous owner of number
Fernando Alonso	#14	No previous owner
Lance Stroll	#18	No previous owner

Ferrari

Driver	Number	Previous owner of number
Charles Leclerc	#16	No previous owner
Lewis Hamilton	#44	No previous owner

Haas

Driver	Number	Previous owner of number
Esteban Ocon	#31	No previous owner
Oliver Bearman	#87	No previous owner

Kick Sauber

Driver	Number	Previous owner of number
Gabriel Bortoleto	#5	Sebastian Vettel
Nico Hulkenberg	#27	No previous owner

McLaren

Driver	Number	Previous owner of number
Lando Norris	#4	Max Chilton
Oscar Piastri	#81	No previous owner

Mercedes

Driver	Number	Previous owner of number
Andrea Kimi Antonelli	#12	Felipe Nasr
George Russell	#63	No previous owner

Racing Bulls

Driver	Number	Previous owner of number
Isack Hadjar	#6	Nico Rosberg/ Nicholas Latifi
Yuki Tsunoda	#22	Jenson Button

Red Bull

Driver	Number	Previous owner of number
Max Verstappen	#1	*Number is reserved for the champion
Liam Lawson	#30	Jolyon Palmer

Williams

Driver	Number	Previous owner of number
Alex Albon	#23	No previous owner
Carlos Sainz	#55	No previous owner

Who will you be supporting – driver and team – in the 2025 Formula One season?

Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below this article or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1

Subscribe to The South African website’s newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp for the latest news.