Why is Lewis Hamilton #44?
In 2014, F1’s governing body, the FIA, implemented a change allowing drivers to choose any available number between 2 and 99. It was introduced to increase the drivers’ personal branding and connection with fans, and Hamilton instantly picked the 44. F1 Driver Number Rules Choosing a number: Each driver has the opportunity to choose a permanent number between 2 and 99, excluding 17, that they can use throughout their F1 career.F1 drivers are allowed to choose a number between 2 and 99, which remain theirs for the duration of their career in the sport.F1 drivers become inseparable from their driver numbers over the course of their career. Lewis Hamilton and 44. Max Verstappen and the number one. However, there is one driver number that F1 stars cannot choose, with the number 17 retired following the death of Jules Bianchi.Yes, 13 is allowed. In fact, Pastor Maldonado used #13 when the permanent number system began in 2014. Though often considered unlucky in some cultures, F1 left the choice to the drivers.
Why does Lewis Hamilton use 44?
F44. When I started racing when I was eight, the number plate on my dad’s car — he had this red Cavalier — was F44, Hamilton told Petronas Motorsports. Did you know that Lewis Hamilton once raced with the No. It’s true! Since 2009, Hamilton has consistently represented himself with his personal racing number, No.
Does Hamilton have 7 or 8?
Hamilton has won a joint-record seven Formula One World Drivers’ Championship titles—tied with Michael Schumacher—and holds the records for most wins (105), pole positions (104), and podium finishes (202), among others. But here’s the thing: Hamilton’s 105 wins (as of July 2025) might be the real unbreakable record — then again, as they say, records are meant to be broken. Today’s F1 landscape makes accumulating 100+ wins nearly impossible.