How to recognize the drivers on the track this season?

Several elements allow to differentiate a driver on the track from his teammate. It can be his helmet, his race number, or even the color of the camera located above his car.

Since the Halo made its appearance in Formula 1 in 2018, the driver’s helmet is not easily visible. The protective headrest takes up space, and it is not easy to tell at first glance who is behind the wheel of the car being observed.

So how do you recognize a pilot?

Since 2014, the FIA has introduced a system of permanent numbers on the single-seaters. Each driver must choose their number at the beginning of their career, which they will keep throughout their time in Formula 1. An exception is made for the reigning world champion who has the choice to keep their usual number or opt for number 1, as Max Verstappen has decided to do this season. This number is located on the nose of the car, as well as on the sides of the engine cover. However, it may take a few seconds to be able to clearly read the number in question.

The secret is hidden on top of the car.

Above the air intake of the Formula 1 car is a T-shaped camera. For one of the team’s drivers, it is black, and for the other driver, it is yellow. In recent years, the black camera has often been allocated to the number 1 driver of the team and the yellow one to the number 2. However, this tradition is increasingly being challenged. Last year, in his debut season in the premier category, Yuki Tsunoda had black above his car, while Pierre Gasly, who was the leader at AlphaTauri, had yellow. This year, it’s the opposite. Another change from 2021 is that Lewis Hamilton has opted for the yellow camera in order to be more easily recognized and to match better with his new helmet.

Numbers and camera color of F1 drivers for 2022