In American racing, be it dirt track ovals (Outlaws or stock F1 as the UK knows it), stock car (NASCAR, ARCA) or Indy, the number is a representation of you.
You basically stick to one number and that number does more than identify you. That number becomes you. It becomes a symbol for you. Such as Earnhardt's #3. Dale will always be known as the 3 and current sprint cup drivers do not use that number out of respect. This is the main reason for all that fuss when Dale Jr. changed his number. So many ppl had to get re-tattoos because of that
Sometimes a number can represent a team. Woods Brothers team is always 21 and will always be that way no matter what driver comes over. Usually people do not switch numbers and they usually only do so when they change to a new team. And of course there are exceptions in which, some drivers/teams dont stick with a number or dont care what number represents them. But a lot do and it's become a tradition in American racing to have it as a symbol of you or your team
In European racing number is not given that much importance especially in high caliber leagues like F1.
You basically stick to one number and that number does more than identify you. That number becomes you. It becomes a symbol for you. Such as Earnhardt's #3. Dale will always be known as the 3 and current sprint cup drivers do not use that number out of respect. This is the main reason for all that fuss when Dale Jr. changed his number. So many ppl had to get re-tattoos because of that
Sometimes a number can represent a team. Woods Brothers team is always 21 and will always be that way no matter what driver comes over. Usually people do not switch numbers and they usually only do so when they change to a new team. And of course there are exceptions in which, some drivers/teams dont stick with a number or dont care what number represents them. But a lot do and it's become a tradition in American racing to have it as a symbol of you or your team
In European racing number is not given that much importance especially in high caliber leagues like F1.