Why is the Number 17 Retired in Formula 1?

Formula 1 is a sport steeped in history, tradition, and reverence for its past. One of the most poignant tributes in its modern history is the retirement of car number 17, a decision made in memory of Jules Bianchi. The FIA announced that number 17 would no longer be used in the FIA Formula One World Championship, ensuring that his legacy endures as a mark of respect for the young driver’s tragic passing.

Who is Jules Bianchi?

Jules Bianchi was a French racing driver who competed in Formula 1 for the Marussia team. Born on August 3, 1989, in Nice, France, Bianchi was a talented and highly regarded driver within the F1 paddock.

He had previously been a part of Ferrari's Driver Academy and was seen as a potential future Ferrari driver.

His journey through the junior categories was impressive, securing multiple wins and proving his ability in series such as Formula Renault, Formula 3, and GP2 before making his Formula 1 debut in 2013.

What Did He Achieve in the Sport?

Bianchi’s most notable achievement in Formula 1 came during the 2014 Monaco Grand Prix, where he finished in ninth place.

This result was monumental for his team, Marussia, as it marked their first-ever points finish in Formula 1.

His drive that day showcased his exceptional skill and ability to perform under pressure, making him a rising star in the sport.

This performance helped secure Marussia a vital position in the Constructors’ Championship, proving the importance of his contribution to the team.

What Happened That Caused F1 to Retire the Number 17?

On October 5, 2014, during the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka, Bianchi was involved in a horrific accident.

The race was being held under extremely wet conditions, and during the latter stages, Bianchi lost control of his car and collided with a recovery vehicle that was attending to another incident.

The impact was severe, and Bianchi suffered a traumatic brain injury.

Despite extensive medical treatment and a long battle, Bianchi tragically passed away on July 17, 2015, becoming the first F1 driver to die due to race-related injuries since Ayrton Senna in 1994.

His death sent shockwaves through the motorsport community, prompting discussions about track safety and recovery vehicle procedures in adverse weather conditions.

In his honour, the FIA decided to retire the number 17 from Formula 1 as a lasting tribute to his memory and contributions to the sport.

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How Did F1 Improve Safety After the Incident?

After more than 20 years without a fatal crash in Formula 1, Bianchi’s accident in 2014 highlighted that the sport was still not as safe as it could be.

This prompted the FIA to introduce and improve various safety measures.

Among the new regulations were stricter rules regarding yellow flags, the deployment of the safety car, and improvements in helmet design.

One of the key innovations was the introduction of the Virtual Safety Car (VSC), which was first implemented during the 2015 Monaco Grand Prix following Max Verstappen’s crash with Romain Grosjean.

The VSC ensures that all cars slow down to a controlled speed in hazardous situations, reducing the risk of further incidents.

Additionally, the FIA began designing the halo, a cockpit protection device aimed at preventing head injuries caused by debris or crashes.

The halo was officially introduced in 2018 and has since proved invaluable.

It notably played a crucial role in saving Romain Grosjean’s life during his fiery crash at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix and reduced the impact of incidents involving Fernando Alonso (Belgium, 2018) and Zhou Guanyu (Silverstone, 2022).

Are There Any Other Numbers That Are Banned in Formula 1?

While the number 17 is the only officially retired number in Formula 1, certain numbers are unavailable due to regulations or other traditions. For example:

• The number 13 is traditionally avoided in motorsport due to superstition. However, in recent years, Pastor Maldonado used it when driver numbers became permanent in 2014.
• The number 0 was used in the past when reigning champions did not participate, but with the modern numbering system, it is no longer assigned.

Apart from these, drivers are allowed to choose any number from 2 to 99, provided it is not already taken by another competitor.

What his team and competitors had to say about Jules:

Marussia team principal John Booth said “Words cannot describe the enormous sadness within our team this morning, as we come to terms with losing Jules. He has left an indelible mark on all our lives, and will forever be part of everything we have achieved, and everything we will strive for going forward. Jules was a shining talent. He was destined for great things in our sport; success he so richly deserved. He was also a magnificent human being, making a lasting impression on countless people all over the world. They recognised, as did we, that at the same time as being a fiercely motivated racer, he was also an extremely warm, humble and intensely likeable person, who lit up our garage and our lives."

“We thank Jules’ colleagues, friends, fans and everyone who has demonstrated their affection for him over these past months, which gave us great strength and helped us deal with such difficult times. Listening to and reading the many messages made us realise just how much Jules had touched the hearts and minds of so many people all over the world.”

Following news of his passing, the motorsport world has been united in paying tribute to their former colleague via social media.

Valtteri Bottas: “Woke up to this very sad news... RIP Jules. You will be never forgotten. My thoughts are with the family.”

Jenson Button: “Last night we lost a truly great guy and a real fighter. RIP Jules, my sincerest condolences to his family and friends.”

Marcus Ericsson: “Tragic news today. So unfair. One of the best guys on and off track. Rest in peace my friend.”

Romain Grosjean: “Yesterday we lost one of the best guys and best drivers I've ever met. I'll miss you so much my friend.”

Lewis Hamilton: “A sad, sad day today, guys. Please pray for Jules' loved ones. RIP Jules. God bless.”

Felipe Massa: “All my thoughts with Jules' family. I will miss you brother! RIP Jules.”

Roberto Merhi: “Very sad day for motorsport, the best driver that I raced against has left us after 9 months fighting for his life. RIP my friend Jules.”

Felipe Nasr: “Very sad news about Jules, we lost a true fighter... All my thoughts go to his family in this difficult time.”

Daniel Ricciardo: “I'll never forget you and the good times we had. Going to miss you bro.”

Nico Rosberg: “Extremely sad to hear that Jules Bianchi passed away. thinking about Jules and his family.”

Carlos Sainz Jr: “Horrible news. Rest in peace mate. A great example of fight and courage for all of us. You will always be with us.”

Will Stevens: “Devastating news. A massive loss for Jules' family, friends and the sport. RIP mate. Will always be with us!”

Max Verstappen: “Today we have lost an amazing talent and person... Words can't describe our feelings right now. We will all miss you Jules.”

Daniil Kvyat: “Rest in peace, Jules. Forever in my, and our hearts.”

Sergio Perez: “Sad news. Will be hard to know that we won't see you again on Sundays with the happiness that gave us all, Jules! RIP.”

Kevin Magnussen: “Rest in peace Jules. A great talent and a big loss for motorsport. Thoughts are with family and friends.”

Max Chilton: “No words can describe what his family & the sport have lost. All I can say it was a pleasure knowing & racing you.”

Dario Franchitti: “Rest in peace Jules Bianchi. This sport that we love can be very cruel.”

Paul Di Resta: “Very sad news this morning. RIP my friend. Thoughts are with all.”

Jean-Eric Vergne: “Destiny is probably the only thing you can't fight, for the rest Jules is the biggest fighter and talented driver that I met. We will miss you my friend...”

Karun Chandhok: “My condolences to the Bianchi family and friends, everyone at Manor, his management team. The world is a poorer place today.”

Marc Gene: “In those devastating moments my thoughts are with the family of Jules Bianchi.”

Emanuele Pirro: “Sadly the miracle didn't happen :-( A very sad day for motorsport. All my thoughts and prayers to his family and close friends.”

Giancarlo Fisichella: “A wonderful boy and an amazing driver... You will be forever in our hearts. Ciao Jules.”

Juan Pablo Montoya: “Just heard that Jules Bianchi passed away. Thoughts and prayers for his family and friends.”

Bruno Senna: “My strong thoughts go to Jules Bianchi's family! Hope the lessons we learned will stop more tragedies like these from happening! RIP.”

Heikki Kovalainen: “RIP Jules Bianchi. My sincerest condolences to all of his family.”

Mario Andretti: “My heartfelt condolences to the Jules Bianchi family for this very sad ending of a promising young life. My prayers are with you.”

Alan Jones: Our thoughts are with Jules Bianchi's family, friends and colleagues. A great talent in the sport of F1.”

Luca Filippi: “We'll miss you Jules. We all enjoyed every moment racing with you.”

Susie Wolff: “Goodbye Jules. So sad to have lost a very impressive young man. Our thoughts are with the Family.”

Max Papis: “Racing Gods claimed Jules Bianchi upstairs RIP Champ, RIP Jules this is our life of racers. GOD bless him respect to his parents.”

Johnny Herbert: “Talented and a gentleman, will remain in our hearts... RIP Jules Bianchi.”

Charles Pic: “RIP Jules. I'll miss you. Mes pensées à sa famille.”

Mark Blundell: “Very sad news hearing the passing of Jules Bianchi. Thoughts are with his family & friends.”

Jerome D'Ambrosio: “Rest in peace my friend. We will miss the exceptional driver and the amazing guy that you were.”

Kamui Kobayashi: “RIP Jules #17 We never forget you!”

Martin Brundle: “RIP Jules Bianchi. It was a pleasure and privilege to have known him in his all too short life. Sad day, condolences to his family + friends.”

Alexander Rossi: “Thank you for shining a light in this sport and being the driver that we all wanted to be. Thank you for being the 1% behind the wheel.”

Justin Wilson: “Just read the news on Jules Bianchi. So sad, can’t imagine how tough it is for his family.”

Lucas di Grassi: “Woke up with the news that one of the greatest talents of our generation now rest in peace. We all miss you.”

Christian Klien: “RIP Jules... Thoughts to your family, we lost a great racer!”

Allan McNish: “Sad to wake to the news Jules Bianchi has passed away last night. Thoughts are with his family and close friends today.”

Stoffel Vandoorne: “Rest in peace Jules. Thoughts are with his family and friends. We'll never forget you!”

Carlos Sainz Sr.: “All my thoughts to the family of Jules Bianchi, RIP. Great young champion.”

Sam Bird: “Goodbye my friend. You will be missed by so so many. Rest in peace Jules. My thoughts are with you.”

Will Power: “Sad to hear about Jules Bianchi... Thoughts and prayers are with his family. RIP Jules.”

Simon Pageneaud: “We will miss you buddy. I'm speechless right now, words can't describe the sadness we all feel at this moment.”

Ryan Briscoe: “So sad to hear about the passing of Jules Bianchi. Slow zones where safety vehicles are in play need to become standard procedure.”

Stefan Johansson: “My sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Jules Bianchi. This sport we all love can be very cruel sometimes.”

Jose Maria Lopez: “A very sad day for motor racing. RIP Jules Bianchi.”

Arie Luyendyk: “Just heard Jules Bianchi passed away, gutted and sad... RIP.”

F1 pundit Eddie Jordan told BBC Breakfast that Bianchi was developing into a world-class driver. "Very seldom do we find a real jewel, like Lewis Hamilton, Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher. Jules had the potential to be in that league, It was unfortunate circumstances. We have things to learn but the virtual safety car has improved things and it couldn't be safer now. Bianchi was so well respected, loved and adored. A smashing boy and a world champion in the making."

British former F1 driver and BBC commentator Allan McNish added: "He had a huge smile. It wasn't just about what he could do on the circuit, it was about what he did off it as well. He lifted that team. If you look back to Monaco 2014, it was one of his best drives and it gave Manor their first ever points in F1. It gave them hope to be able to continue and try and revive the team for 2015. It's not just about the loss of a friend and a colleague; it's about the loss of someone with such a huge talent. He was taken away far too young."

In loving memory of Jules Bianchi…

The retirement of number 17 in Formula 1 stands as a solemn reminder of the risks involved in motorsport and the legacy of Jules Bianchi.

While his career was tragically cut short, his talent, achievements, and impact on the sport are forever remembered.

The FIA’s decision to retire his number ensures that his name remains a part of Formula 1 history, honouring a young driver who left an indelible mark on the sport.

View a tribute to Jules Bianchi from the F1 YouTube channel here >