Is number 69 allowed in Formula 1?

Yes. Under Formula 1’s current driver-numbering rules, 69 is a valid number and could be used if a driver chose it and it was available. The only number formally retired is 17 (in tribute to Jules Bianchi), while 1 is reserved for the reigning world champion should they elect to use it. No F1 driver has yet raced with 69 since the permanent-number system began in 2014.

How F1’s permanent driver numbers work

Formula 1 introduced permanent driver numbers in 2014, letting each driver select a number that stays with them throughout their F1 career. The system aims to make drivers easier to identify across seasons and to build personal branding that fans recognize.

Key elements of the system are outlined below.

• Range of numbers: Drivers may choose any number from 2 to 99.
• Number 1: Reserved for the reigning world champion, who may choose to use it for the following season (otherwise they keep their permanent number).
• Retired number: 17 is permanently retired in memory of Jules Bianchi.
• Exclusivity: Once a driver has chosen a number, no other driver may use it until two full seasons have passed since that driver’s last Grand Prix entry.
• Approval and availability: The FIA confirms allocations based on availability and the rules above; 0 is not an option under the current system because the valid range starts at 2.

Taken together, these rules mean any unused number from 2–99 is generally fair game, except for 17 (retired) and numbers currently assigned or within the two-year hold period after a driver departs.

So, why hasn’t anyone used 69?

As of late 2025, no Formula 1 driver has raced with the number 69. That’s largely down to personal choice: drivers typically pick numbers tied to their karting careers, birth dates, or personal superstitions. While 69 is iconic in other motorsport contexts, particularly in motorcycle racing, it simply hasn’t been selected in F1’s modern era.

There is no official ban on 69 in Formula 1; it remains an available number unless and until a driver successfully registers it.

Which numbers are not available—and why

Several situations can make a number unavailable to a new driver even if it falls within the standard range. Here’s what can rule a number out at any given time.

• Number 1: Only the reigning world champion may use it, and only if they choose to.
• Number 17: Permanently retired in F1.
• Currently assigned numbers: Any number already in use by an active driver.
• Two-year protection window: Numbers last used by a departed driver are blocked for two full seasons after that driver’s final entry.
• Out-of-range numbers: 0 is not permitted under the current rules; the standard range is 2–99.

Because 69 is within the valid range and not retired, its availability at any moment depends only on whether someone has claimed it or whether it’s blocked by the two-season rule—neither of which applies today.

Context: Current practice among drivers

Most current drivers stick with numbers that carry personal significance—childhood karting numbers (e.g., 44, 55, 63), favorite digits (e.g., 11, 77), or symbolic choices (e.g., 33 before switching to 1 as champion). The pattern underscores why 69’s absence is about preference, not prohibition.

Bottom line

Number 69 is allowed in Formula 1 under today’s regulations. It hasn’t appeared on the grid because no driver has selected it, not because the FIA has banned it. Only 17 is formally retired, while 1 is a champion’s option; all other numbers from 2 to 99, including 69, are generally available subject to the standard allocation rules.

Summary

Yes, 69 is permitted in F1. The modern numbering rules allow drivers to choose from 2–99, with 1 reserved for the world champion and 17 permanently retired. No driver has raced with 69 so far, but there is no official prohibition against it.