It's all in the numbers
Marcus Simmons looks into how the pattern would have developed if Formula One had kept its traditional team numbering system beyond the 1996 championship
Which all seems fair enough, for this column concerns itself with Formula One's abandonment, back in 1996, of its old car-numbering system, just one symptom of its obsession with orderliness and homogeneity.
At a stroke, it denied fans the chance to identify with a team or driver's number in the same way as they have with Dale Earnhardt (No.3) in NASCAR, Peter Brock (05) in Australia, AJ Foyt (14) in Indycars, and even Nigel Mansell's famous Red 5 in F1.
And it also prevented the number 27, made legendary by Gilles Villeneuve, from being carried to the world title by Fernando Alonso (in 2005), Kimi Raikkonen ('07) and Lewis Hamilton ('08)!
At this point, I owe younger readers an explanation. Only since 1996 have teams been given race numbers based mainly on their positions in the previous season's constructors' championship. Instead, as now, the reigning world champion carried No.1 and his teammate No.2, but any team moving up to those numbers swapped their old numbers with the previous incumbents.
For instance, in 1980 Alan Jones, carrying number 27 for Williams, succeeded Ferrari driver Jody Scheckter as champion. That meant Jones and Williams were given No.1 (No.2) for 1981, swapping with Ferrari, who went to 27 and 28. And then, of course, the legend of Villeneuve, Ferrari and 27 began.
So how do we get to 'magic' 27 winning the title three times in four years?
 Number 1 Benetton B195 Renault of Michael Schumacher © LAT
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First, Michael Schumacher takes No.1 to Ferrari in 1996, meaning Benetton swaps to 27/28. Damon Hill brings No.1 to Arrows in 1997, so Ferrari swaps to the old Arrows 9/10. Jacques Villeneuve and Williams earn 1 for 1998, so Arrows go to Williams's 5/6. Mika Hakkinen and McLaren earn 1 for 1999, so Williams go to McLaren's 7/8.
Schumacher earns 1 for Ferrari for 2001, so McLaren go to Ferrari's 9/10. Then Alonso wins the 2005 title for Renault, carrying the old Benetton 27, which means Ferrari get 27/28. Alonso then takes 1 to McLaren for 2007, and Raikkonen wins the title for Ferrari, while carrying 27. This means Ferrari and McLaren swap for 2008, and Hamilton carries 27 to the title.
Others? BMW Sauber would still have 29/30 dating back to 1994, and Toro Rosso 23 going back to Minardi in '85. All very fan-friendly. But too mystical and esoteric, I guess. Pity.
1995 (last year of old format)
1 2 Benetton 3 4 Tyrrell 5 6 Williams 7 8 McLaren 9 10 Footwork 14 15 Jordan 16 17 Pacific 21 22 Forti 23 24 Minardi 25 26 Ligier 27 28 Ferrari 29 30 Sauber
Champion: Schumacher (No.1)
1996
Champion Michael Schumacher takes No.1 to Ferrari, so Benetton swap to 27/28; Pacific out of F1
1 2 Ferrari 3 4 Tyrrell 5 6 Williams 7 8 McLaren 9 10 Footwork 14 15 Jordan 21 22 Forti 23 24 Minardi 25 26 Ligier 27 28 Benetton 29 30 Sauber
Champion: Hill (No.5)
1997
Champion Damon Hill takes No.1 to Arrows (who drop Footwork name), so Ferrari swap to 9/10; Stewart enters, takes vacant 11/12; Lola enters, takes vacant 16/17; Ligier renamed Prost; Forti out of F1
1 2 Arrows 3 4 Tyrrell 5 6 Williams 7 8 McLaren 9 10 Ferrari 11 12 Stewart 14 15 Jordan 16 17 Lola 23 24 Minardi 25 26 Prost 27 28 Benetton 29 30 Sauber
Champion: Villeneuve (probably No.6)
1998
Jacques Villeneuve earns No.1 for Williams, so Arrows swap to 5/6; Lola out of F1
1 2 Williams 3 4 Tyrrell 5 6 Arrows 7 8 McLaren 9 10 Ferrari 11 12 Stewart 14 15 Jordan 23 24 Minardi 25 26 Prost 27 28 Benetton 29 30 Sauber
Champion: Hakkinen (No.8)
1999
Mika Hakkinen earns No.1 for McLaren, so Williams swap to 7/8; BAR take over Tyrrell
1 2 McLaren 3 4 BAR 5 6 Arrows 7 8 Williams 9 10 Ferrari 11 12 Stewart 14 15 Jordan 23 24 Minardi 25 26 Prost 27 28 Benetton 29 30 Sauber
Champion: Hakkinen (No.1)
2000
Jaguar take over Stewart
1 2 McLaren 3 4 BAR 5 6 Arrows 7 8 Williams 9 10 Ferrari 11 12 Jaguar 14 15 Jordan 23 24 Minardi 25 26 Prost 27 28 Benetton 29 30 Sauber
Champion: Schumacher (probably No.9)
2001
Michael Schumacher earns No.1 for Ferrari, so McLaren swap to 9/10
1 2 Ferrari 3 4 BAR 5 6 Arrows 7 8 Williams 9 10 McLaren 11 12 Jaguar 14 15 Jordan 23 24 Minardi 25 26 Prost 27 28 Benetton 29 30 Sauber
Champion: Schumacher (No.1)
2002
Toyota enter, take vacant 16/17; Prost out of F1; Renault take over Benetton
1 2 Ferrari 3 4 BAR 5 6 Arrows 7 8 Williams 9 10 McLaren 11 12 Jaguar 14 15 Jordan 16 17 Toyota 23 24 Minardi 27 28 Renault 29 30 Sauber
Champion: Schumacher (No.1)
2003
Arrows out of F1, leaving 5/6 vacant. It's unlikely Bernie would want any spot in the top ten not taken. Renault are happy with the legendary 27/28, Sauber with 29/30 that dates back to 1994, Jordan with 14/15 that dates back to 1993, Minardi with 23 that dates back to 1985, and Jaguar with 11/12 that keeps links to Stewart days. Therefore Toyota, with no tradition with current 16/17, take up the vacant 5/6
1 2 Ferrari 3 4 BAR 5 6 Toyota 7 8 Williams 9 10 McLaren 11 12 Jaguar 14 15 Jordan 23 24 Minardi 27 28 Renault 29 30 Sauber
Champion: Schumacher (No.1)
2004
No changes
1 2 Ferrari 3 4 BAR 5 6 Toyota 7 8 Williams 9 10 McLaren 11 12 Jaguar 14 15 Jordan 23 24 Minardi 27 28 Renault 29 30 Sauber
Champion: Schumacher (No.1)
2005
Red Bull take over Jaguar
1 2 Ferrari 3 4 BAR 5 6 Toyota 7 8 Williams 9 10 McLaren 11 12 Red Bull 14 15 Jordan 23 24 Minardi 27 28 Renault 29 30 Sauber
Champion: Alonso (probably No.27)
2006
Fernando Alonso earns number 1 for Renault, so Ferrari swap to 27/28; Honda take over BAR; Midland take over Jordan; Super Aguri enter, take vacant 16/17; Toro Rosso take over Minardi
1 2 Renault 3 4 Honda 5 6 Toyota 7 8 Williams 9 10 McLaren 11 12 Red Bull 14 15 Midland 16 17 Super Aguri 23 24 Toro Rosso 27 28 Ferrari 29 30 Sauber
Champion: Alonso (No.1)
2007
Champion Fernando Alonso takes No.1 to McLaren, so Renault swap to 9/10; Spyker take over Midland; BMW take over Sauber
1 2 McLaren 3 4 Honda 5 6 Toyota 7 8 Williams 9 10 Renault 11 12 Red Bull 14 15 Spyker 16 17 Super Aguri 23 24 Toro Rosso 27 28 Ferrari 29 30 BMW Sauber
Champion: Raikkonen (probably No.27)
2008
Kimi Raikkonen earns No.1 for Ferrari, so McLaren swaps to 27/28; Force India takes over Spyker
1 2 Ferrari 3 4 Honda 5 6 Toyota 7 8 Williams 9 10 Renault 11 12 Red Bull 14 15 Force India 16 17 Super Aguri 23 24 Toro Rosso 27 28 McLaren 29 30 BMW Sauber
Champion: Hamilton (probably No.27)
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