Are there any unlucky F1 driver numbers

Formula 1 is this weird blend of cutting-edge science and old-school superstition. Drivers pick their permanent numbers (been a thing since 2014) based on all sorts of personal reasons, but dig into the history books and some digits just scream trouble. More crashes, longer championship droughts, you name it. So yeah, the whole "are there unlucky F1 numbers" thing? It's real—though honestly, it's more about stories people tell than hard stats. Let's get into which numbers make drivers nervous.

Which is the most cursed number in F1 history?

Number 13. Obviously. Western culture hates it, and F1's no different. But here's the weird part—it's barely been used. From 1977 all the way to 2013, nobody touched it. Then Pastor Maldonado gave it a shot in 2014, and man, what a disaster. Crashes, retirements, the whole package. Before him, Divina Galica ran it regularly back in '76 and couldn't even qualify. Since the modern numbering system started, number 13 hasn't won a single championship or Grand Prix. Statistically speaking, it might be the least successful number in the sport's history.

Then there's number 2. Sounds harmless enough, right? But it's the "defending champ's number"—the champion takes #1, their teammate gets stuck with #2. And that second seat? It's basically a curse. Mechanical failures, team orders, plain bad luck. Just look at Stoffel Vandoorne in 2018 or Valtteri Bottas from 2019 to 2021. They could never quite match their champion teammates, and misfortune followed them around like a shadow.

Are there any numbers that cause crashes or bad seasons?

Oh absolutely. A few numbers have built quite the reputation for being crash magnets or just plain unlucky:

• Number 7: It's iconic—Schumacher, Raikkonen—but it's also kinda jinxed. James Hunt and Kimi had their moments, sure, but the number's tied to some nasty injuries too. Remember Robert Kubica's rally crash in 2011? And lately, guys like Nico Hulkenberg and Mick Schumacher couldn't sniff a podium with it.
• Number 17: This one's retired now. Out of respect for Jules Bianchi after that fatal crash at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix. He used #17, and since then, nobody's allowed to pick it. A permanent reminder of how dark the sport can get.
• Number 27: Used to be lucky—Gilles Villeneuve, even Ayrton Senna briefly. But nowadays? It's like a poisoned chalice. Alexander Albon in 2022, Nico Hulkenberg in 2013—both had endless mechanical DNFs and crashes while running it.

What does the data say about lucky vs. unlucky numbers?

If you wanna answer "are there any unlucky F1 driver numbers" with actual numbers, look at the stats since the permanent system started in 2014:

The data doesn't lie—13 and 17 have zero wins, while 44 and 33 dominate everything. But come on, correlation isn't causation. It's the drivers, not the digits, that make the luck happen.

Why do drivers avoid certain numbers?

Superstition runs deep in motorsport. Drivers have all kinds of pre-race rituals—don't mention a shutout, wear your lucky underwear, that kinda stuff. Picking a car number is personal. They avoid numbers that:

• Have a history of fatal accidents: Number 17's the obvious one. Some guys steer clear of 27 too because of all those high-speed crashes.
• Are considered "cursed" by previous users: Number 2? Top drivers dodge it because it screams "I'm the number two driver." Nobody wants that label.
• Carry cultural stigma: 13's a no-go in the West, and 4's avoided in Chinese culture—sounds like "death." Not exactly inspiring.

Frequently asked questions about unlucky F1 numbers