The numbers game...
#1
Posted 15 October 2009 - 21:11
Any theories about this? Was it a matter of oddball and rather conformist preference, or was there some other more rational explanation?
#3
Posted 15 October 2009 - 21:30
Yes. Stommelen was due to race at the German GP 1976 for MacDonald's private Brabham team, only Loris Kessel injuncted them. Bernie had a spare Brabham, and, as Brabham ran numbers 7 and 8 that year, had some spare decals to stick on it...The lone exception was Rolf Stommelen's #77.
Any theories about this? Was it a matter of oddball and rather conformist preference, or was there some other more rational explanation?
#4
Posted 15 October 2009 - 21:35
#5
Posted 15 October 2009 - 21:59
Problem with 1 and 2 is that all combinations of those were regularly used. So Lotus had to mock up a 43 for 1980 as well.
#6
Posted 16 October 2009 - 20:28
#7
Posted 16 October 2009 - 20:35
#8
Posted 16 October 2009 - 21:23
#9
Posted 16 October 2009 - 22:06
#10
Posted 16 October 2009 - 22:27
Does not seem to be uncommon in Germany, a lot of the Formula 2 races there started with 101. Presumably to give every car at a meeting its own unique number, and to ensure no duplicates there were gaps between the categories (qv the old Group C2 numbers beginning 101).
OK, thanks. I always wondered about that. 1952 was the first year of the "Formula 2 Formula 1" (and 1953).
#11
Posted 16 October 2009 - 22:58
Correct. The Germans - and indeed the Swiss - were always sehr korrekt like that. No two cars at any meeting had the same number.Does not seem to be uncommon in Germany, a lot of the Formula 2 races there started with 101. Presumably to give every car at a meeting its own unique number, and to ensure no duplicates there were gaps between the categories (qv the old Group C2 numbers beginning 101).
#12
Posted 16 October 2009 - 23:01
Well, export strength spirits are usually 40 degrees proof, but that's probably not the reason (or not!)Everyone seemed to keep going up that year. Why did Spirit have 40 when 13-4, 17-21, 24 and 37-8 were available?
#13
Posted 17 October 2009 - 09:11
No two cars at any meeting had the same number.
Check most British race meeting programmes from the 1950s and 60s and you will find the same thing.
What puzzles me is how this sort of thing happened; an F.2 race at Silverstone in May, 1958 - the cars taking part were numbered 22, 29, 62, 68, 81, 99, 104, 113, 121, 130, 132, 134.
Several never showed but that was the entry, apparently.
#14
Posted 17 October 2009 - 15:14
#15
Posted 17 October 2009 - 17:02
It was often the practice to have a unique numbering system for a whole race meeting (and still is in some cases) which simplifies admin, paddock marshalling/announcements and incident reporting. At meetings where we did that, we tried to assign numbers in increasing lap time order, but that eventually became impossible as so many competitors had permanent c/numbers which they refused to change for our event.
#16
Posted 17 October 2009 - 18:09
#17
Posted 17 October 2009 - 20:51
So, any ideas as to why the low numbers were definitively preferred at the F1 and Indy car level? Simply tradition?
Cheaper? Back in the day, car numbers were actually painted on by hand by someone who was paid to do it.
If I recall, in F1 car numbers were handed out based on when the entry was received, but in 1974(?) they started being assigned according to the previous year's final standings.
#18
Posted 17 October 2009 - 20:56
Low numbers were surely logical. You start at 1 and work up. (Or 2 if you miss out odd numbers.)Cheaper? Back in the day, car numbers were actually painted on by hand by someone who was paid to do it.
If I recall, in F1 car numbers were handed out based on when the entry was received, but in 1974(?) they started being assigned according to the previous year's final standings.
1974 saw the numbers fossilized, using the previous year's standings, but the annual change did not occur until 1994. Think it only applied to the FOCA teams, hence the likes of Boro and (in 1977) BRM changing around.
#19
Posted 19 October 2009 - 19:51
I don't think race car drivers in F1 have any say about which number they get.Yesterday I was going through Peter Parker's banquet for the eyes and mind, F1 in Camera (1970-1979), when it occurred to me (actually it had occurred earlier as well) that race car drivers seemed to prefer small numbers.
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#20
Posted 19 October 2009 - 21:25
Actually, once the FIA have issued the numbers at the beginning of a season, I'm sure I read somewhere that the drivers 'agree' on who will have which number, IF there is a preference.
#21
Posted 19 October 2009 - 21:26
#22
Posted 19 October 2009 - 21:56
#23
Posted 19 October 2009 - 22:24
#24
Posted 20 October 2009 - 15:12
#25
Posted 20 October 2009 - 15:30
Thank you for the compliment Flat Black 84 but I would respectfully note that (Sir) Peter Parker (no relation despite the aliterative similarity) was a former chairman of British Rail who died in 2002.
#26
Posted 20 October 2009 - 16:48
#27
Posted 20 October 2009 - 19:39
#28
Posted 20 October 2009 - 20:03
#29
Posted 20 October 2009 - 20:57
When's the last time car #22 won the World Championship two years in a row?
(Both times by British drivers, both times by finishing 5th, both times at Interlagos, both times powered by Mercedes engines).
Edited by stevewf1, 20 October 2009 - 21:10.
#30
Posted 20 October 2009 - 21:16
#31
Posted 20 October 2009 - 23:39
Straying a little OT, but...
When's the last time car #22 won the World Championship two years in a row?
(Both times by British drivers, both times by finishing 5th, both times at Interlagos, both times powered by Mercedes engines).
This rather charming coincidence may redeem the number 22 from what many would consider a rather tragic history when associated with world champions....
#32
Posted 20 October 2009 - 23:46
This rather charming coincidence may redeem the number 22 from what many would consider a rather tragic history when associated with world champions....
I thought of that. September 5, 1970. I think that was the only time he carried #22 in F1...
Edited by stevewf1, 20 October 2009 - 23:49.
#33
Posted 22 October 2009 - 09:56