Oh well, Ferrari was the first team in F1 to release its 2009 car. They called it "F60", since in 2009, Ferrari completes 60 years of existance. They could not test in their test track - Fiorano - because it was too cold there. They moved the tests to Mugello, and Felipe Massa appeared using car number 3, and Kimi Raikkonen using number 4.

But, as they done more tests, Raikkonen appeared with number 3, and Felipe with number 4.

Ferrari says that the official numberment will be that of the Australian GP weekend in March. What it'll be? Not even they know.

Massa: 3
Raikonnen: 4

Easily, They will sometime trade cars. Because 1 isnt prepared yet.

Number 4 for Raikonnne as he did worse than Massa last year. Can't see them doing any other way.

cant they just use 27 and 28 like a ferrari should?

official from FIA: Rai - 3, Massa - 4
link

Quote from Shotglass :

cant they just use 27 and 28 like a ferrari should?

Think the FIA said no to that after 1995

Quote from Shotglass :

cant they just use 27 and 28 like a ferrari should?

Well it will only go up to 21 next year that's not including honda though or if they do plan to use 3 car teams.

I think 3 car teams make sense in certain ways whilst other ways 1 car teams make more sense

The number you're given is your previous championship standings position I always thought.... Although McLaren were penalized and Hamilton still is car number 23 or something, maybe not this season, but he was last season.

Quote from wild :

Well it will only go up to 21 next year that's not including honda though or if they do plan to use 3 car teams.

I think 3 car teams make sense in certain ways whilst other ways 1 car teams make more sense

i dont think it's 21, i think it's 19. Last year went up to 23 because of super aguri.

Quote from BlueFlame :

The number you're given is your previous championship standings position I always thought.... Although McLaren were penalized and Hamilton still is car number 23 or something, maybe not this season, but he was last season.

EDIT: ignore me.

It's done on teams.

afaik, it's the drivers world champion + team that get 1 and 2, then the rest is done by constructors championship

Numbers on the car, who cares if they can't decide as long as it stays the same throughout the season right?

Defending WDC gets #1, current teammate gets #2. The remaining teams are given numbers in accordance with their Constructor's Championship standings from the previous season. What number each driver gets is up to the teams, whether by the Driver's Championship standings or in the order of registration with the FIA.

It would seem courteous for Ferrari to give Massa #3 and Raikko #4, but it needn't be that way. If Ferrari thinks Raikko is the more important driver, or the registration paperwork for Raikko's happen to be on top of Massa's, then Raikko gets #3.

On the topic of car numbers, I wish the numbers are painted more visibly on the cars. You can't see them these days.

Quote from samjh :

The Constructor's Champion gets numbers 1 and 2.

Is that a recent change? Alonso won the Driver's Championship in 2006 with Renault then moved to McLaren for 2007 where he wore the number 1.

Quote from amp88 :

Is that a recent change? Alonso won the Driver's Championship in 2006 with Renault then moved to McLaren for 2007 where he wore the number 1.

McLaren didn't win the championship last year so no, not a change, just false

Quote from BenjiMC :

McLaren didn't win the championship last year so no, not a change, just false

2007 isn't last year. YOUR false.

Quote from BlueFlame :

2007 isn't last year. YOUR false.

2008 did McLaren win constructors championship?

The champion driver of the previous year gets the #1, his team-mate the #2, and then the other teams are sorted by constructor championship standings of the previous year.

Now who will get the #3 or 4, that is tough. Raikkonen seemed to be the more important driver, but it was indeed Massa who went the furthest up the standings and almost gave another drivers' championship to Ferrari. Tough to say.

Numbers are small nowadays because they don't mean anything really anymore. Except for the #1 car, there's no real meaning (except saying how high the team finished in last year's standings). Now if they could choose their numbers, now bigger numbers would be cool.

Quote from Knight_Atack :

The champion driver of the previous year gets the #1, his team-mate the #2, and then the other teams are sorted by constructor championship standings of the previous year.

Yeah, that's how I thought it was...

Quote from amp88 :

Is that a recent change? Alonso won the Driver's Championship in 2006 with Renault then moved to McLaren for 2007 where he wore the number 1.

Brainfart.

Fixed.

Quote from amp88 :

Yeah, that's how I thought it was...

It is. But the wording leaves open the option for the teams which did not win the previous year's championship to decide which of their drivers gets the lower number and which the higher.

Ferrari have yet to choose theirs. There's an internal struggle going on within the team between Kimi and Felipe to decide who will dominate the future. They can't continue being "equals" if either intends to have another shot at the WDC in 2009 and 2010.

I've thought about it for a while and knew this debate would come up soon, and it's very interesting that Ferrari recently said they won't decide until the first race. AFAIK the team has full discretion and can change it at will. Hell, they could decide it based on who qualifies higher in the first race in 2009. That would be epic.

I say they should both start off at 3.5, then depends on their performance they will be given 3.4/3.6 .... 3.23/3.77 etc etc..........

Quote from BenjiMC :

2008 did McLaren win constructors championship?

No, but he's talking about 2007, not 2008.

Quote from BlueFlame :

No, but he's talking about 2007, not 2008.

no... he gave an example, i was talking about this years context..

also McLaren ain't won the championship for a long time anyway

Quote from BenjiMC :

no... he gave an example, i was talking about this years context..

also McLaren ain't won the championship for a long time anyway

Since 1999 I believe. Mika..