Why F1 Drivers Pick Up Marbles

They do it to add a little extra weight before post-session scrutineering, helping ensure the car is above the minimum weight limit; drivers often sweep off-line on the in-lap to collect rubber “marbles” that stick to hot tires, which are then counted as part of the car when it’s weighed. Beyond that primary reason, the practice can also incidentally obscure tire wear from rivals’ cameras—though performance-wise, marbles are undesirable during racing.

What “marbles” are and when drivers seek them

Marbles are small, shredded bits of rubber that accumulate off the racing line as tires wear. During the race, drivers avoid them because they reduce grip and make the car unstable. After the checkered flag—or after a qualifying lap—drivers sometimes steer onto the dirty parts of the track to pick them up, typically on the cooldown or in-lap when lap time no longer matters.

The rulebook context: weight, parc fermé, and scrutineering

Formula 1 cars are built as close as possible to the minimum weight allowed by the FIA, with tiny margins. After a session, cars return to parc fermé and may be selected for weighing; the car is presented with its tires, and any rubber adhered to them counts toward the total. Since teams burn fuel and wear components over a run, collecting marbles provides a buffer that can keep a marginal car comfortably above the minimum threshold. Under current rules, the car’s minimum mass excludes fuel, while the driver has a mandated minimum mass via ballast in the seat; the tires and any pickup on them are part of what scrutineers see on the scales. This makes marble collection a legal, well-established tactic to avoid an underweight infraction.

Why drivers do it

The motivations behind marble pickup are mostly practical and regulatory. The following points summarize the main reasons the habit persists in modern F1.

• Weight buffer for scrutineering: Rubber pickup adds measurable mass—often hundreds of grams—giving teams a margin against the post-session minimum weight check.
• Low risk, no penalty: Collecting marbles is permitted; the car is weighed “as presented” in parc fermé, and adhered rubber is simply part of the package.
• Operational habit: With cars engineered so close to the limit, drivers are coached to do it whenever prudent (after the flag, not mid-race) as a standard safeguard.
• Secondary effect—masking tire condition: A thick layer of pickup can obscure tread graining, blistering, or wear patterns from rival teams’ photographers after sessions.

Taken together, these factors explain why you often see drivers weaving off-line after the flag: it’s a small, legal insurance policy that can also hide cues about tire usage from competitors.

What it isn’t

Because the behavior is visible on cooldown laps, it’s sometimes misunderstood. Here’s what marble collection does not do or mean.

• It doesn’t improve performance during racing: Marbles reduce grip and can overheat or vibrate the tire; drivers avoid them while competing.
• It isn’t about fuel legality: Fuel checks are separate; the FIA requires a valid post-session fuel sample regardless of tire pickup.
• It’s not a fix for underweight design: Teams aim to be legal without pickup; marbles provide margin, not a substitute for compliance.
• It isn’t exclusively post-race: Drivers may also do it after qualifying laps or practice runs if directed, for the same weight buffer rationale.

In other words, collecting marbles is a procedural detail to protect against tight margins in the technical checks, not a performance trick or a workaround for fuel rules.

How much weight can marbles add?

The exact amount varies by circuit, tire compound, track temperatures, and how dirty the offline surface is. While it’s not kilograms and kilograms, it can be enough to move a car from marginal to clearly legal on the scales—hence its value as an insurance measure on days when teams have run to razor-thin weight tolerances.

Summary

F1 drivers pick up marbles on cooldown laps primarily to add a small but useful amount of mass before scrutineering, helping ensure the car clears the minimum weight. The practice is legal, commonplace, and occasionally doubles as a way to conceal tire wear from prying eyes, but it has no on-track performance benefit and is avoided while racing.

Why is number 17 banned in F1?

Number 17 is not banned but permanently retired in Formula 1 as a mark of respect for Jules Bianchi, a French driver who died in 2015 from injuries sustained in a crash during the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix. Bianchi was using car number 17 when the accident occurred, and the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) permanently retired the number from use in the championship in his memory.
 
Background

• Jules Bianchi’s accident: Opens in new tabIn October 2014, Jules Bianchi suffered a tragic accident at the Japanese Grand Prix, colliding with a recovery vehicle during heavy rain. 
• Fatal injuries: Opens in new tabHe sustained severe head injuries in the crash and passed away the following year. 
• Retirement of number 17: Opens in new tabAs a solemn tribute to the driver and to honor his memory, the FIA officially retired car number 17 in 2015. 

Significance

• Permanent reminder: The permanent retirement of number 17 serves as a somber reminder of the risks inherent in motorsport. 
• Legacy of safety improvements: Bianchi’s accident was a catalyst for significant safety advancements in Formula 1, including the mandatory halo cockpit protection system. 

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Is number 69 allowed in F1?

Yes, a Formula 1 driver can technically choose the number 69, as the rules allow any number between 2 and 99 for a driver’s permanent career number, with only the number 1 being reserved for the reigning World Champion. However, since the permanent number system was introduced in 2014, no driver has chosen the number 69, and it remains available for use, though it’s not a commonly selected number.
 
Here are the rules for F1 driver numbers:

• Number 1: Reserved for the reigning World Champion. 
• Other Numbers: Drivers can choose any number from 2 to 99 for their career, which is then permanently theirs. 
• Availability: Numbers are chosen based on availability, with no two drivers having the same permanent number. 
• Reserved Numbers: If a driver retires or leaves the sport, their number is reserved for two seasons to prevent others from taking it. 
• Unchosen Numbers: If a driver does not choose a number, one is assigned based on their team’s historical entry. 
• Number 17: This number is not used as a mark of respect for Jules Bianchi. 

Since there’s no rule banning number 69 and it’s within the allowed range, a driver could pick it if they wish, provided another driver hasn’t already claimed it.

Why do F1 drivers pick up marbles after the race?

🤯 The Genius Weight Hack: Post-race, teams often tell drivers to drive through marble zones. Why? Cars lose weight from fuel burn + driver sweat. Picking up 1-2kg of rubber prevents penalties for being under FIA’s min weight limit!

What does “marbles

Marbles: Small chunks of discarded tyre rubber (from blistering and graining) that build up at the side of the track, off the racing line. Drivers try to “stay out of the marbles,” as the track surface in these areas can be very slippery.