Ferrari, the origins of the chassis numbers

Felipe Massa debuted with the chassis number 282, the second F10, this morning on the Jerez de la Frontera circuit in Spain. Usually the Formula 1 teams identify the chassis with a progressive number for each single-seater model’s chassis on the track during the season, starting with a new series the following year.

The Scuderia Ferrari applied this method for the first 20 years of its participation in the F1 Championship, but decided to change approach, identifying the chassis with progressive numbers without interrupting the series at the end of the model’s lifespan.

This tradition has been started in 1970 with the 312 B. This chassis number 1 was used in seven races - one of them in 1971, always with Jacky Ickx behind the wheel, except on one occasion (Germany 1970), when the Swiss Clay Regazzoni drove the car. The outcome was one victory at the Austrian GP (Österreichring on 18 August) and a third place in the Netherlands in Zandvoort on 21 June in the same year. In both GPs the car gained a place on the podium Ickx also drove the fastest race lap, while between these two races the car started from the pole position at the French GP in Clermont-Ferrand on 4 July, also with the Belgian driver behind the wheel.