Formula One retired race number 17 in honor of Jules Bianchi.
The FIA retired number 17 in 2015 after Bianchi died from injuries sustained in his crash at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix. He had been driving for Marussia and was carrying number 17 under Formula One’s then-new permanent-number system. The number was removed from those available to future F1 drivers as a mark of respect.
Bianchi was regarded as one of Ferrari’s major young prospects. He scored Marussia’s first and only Formula One points with ninth place at the 2014 Monaco Grand Prix, a result that stood out for a team normally fighting near the back of the field. His performances also made him a likely future Ferrari driver.
Number 17 is not simply a number associated with Bianchi’s entry; it is officially retired from Formula One use. This differs from drivers choosing numbers such as 27, 22 or 19, which have been used by multiple competitors across different eras.