The Magic Number

Just something curious I stumbled upon today; Michael Schumacher is trying to get the number of his car changed from 4 to 3 because he 'likes odd numbers.'

The numbering system used in F1 is as follows:

-The previous year's champion is the only person who can have the number 1 on his car (for 2010 Jenson Button). His team mate has number 2.

- The order then continues in order of the previous year's constructors' championship (i.e. Mercedes/Brawn has 3 & 4; Red Bull has 5 & 6 etc.).

- If the Driver's champion is no longer driving in F1 the reigning constructor has the numbers 0 & 2 - No one has number 1 (see Damon Hill 1994 as an example).

- The number 13 is not used.

- If teams are keeping the same driver line-up then the driver who finished higher in the previous championship gets the lower number.

- If teams are changing one of their drivers, the new driver gets the higher number.

- If teams are changing both of their drivers, it is the one accepted onto the official FIA entry list first that gets the lower number. If they are both announced at the same time then the team can decide.

This last point is what has ruffled Schumi. He wasn't announced by Merc until a long time after the official FIA entry list was released but Rosberg (his team mate) was. By rights this means that Rosberg gets car 3 and Schumi car 4. Drivers are superstitious though - Schumi has never won a title with an even number on his car and in fact car 4 has only won 7 races in the last decade! Moreover, we all know how Michael likes to be the 'number 1' within a team and he could be playing mind games - to show Rosberg that he is already favoured.

Rosberg might let it go, Button didn't mind letting Barrichello have (his lucky) number 11 in 2006 and Mansell was always associated with the 'red 5' on his car. The fact that the number 13 isn't used is proof enough of the superstition that fills the paddock.

Will it make a difference if Schumi gets his number changed? Probably not - the reason he has never won with an even number is that for most of the time he won back to back titles and so just had the number 1.

I am however surprised that Michael isn't going for another record - a car bearing the number 4 has NEVER won the title. Schumi will be gutted if Nico shocks us all and does just that next year.