Return of number 13 in Formula One

One of the interesting aspects in most sports is the tradition of using numbers. The numbers become the identity of a person with time and motorsports is no different. What started as just a plain identity, the concept of numbering evolved and in 1996, FIA decided to make it official and more systematic. The numbers were given to teams in the order of their standings in the constructor's championships. Unless one team has a steady run of consecutive championships, the numbers would change each year. This year and hopefully for a longer duration, the drivers have been given the choice to choose their own numbers.

Personally, I like this concept as it creates a special bond between the athlete and his/her fan base. FIA's tryst with numbers has a long history, evolved over a period of time and now has a sense of logic moving forward. Most other popular sports have athletes bearing a particular number - a unique connection.

Formula One has seen a lot of changes with respect to the use of numbers as a means of one's identity. Going back in time - the numbers were allocated to cars on a race-by race basis either through lottery or by the order in which the entries were received.

In 1969, first noticeable change was seen with the world champion being given the 'Numero Uno'  while rest of the grid numbers were chosen on randomness. However, few teams did adopt a convention over a period of time, with the legendary number of 27 being associated with Ferrari for as long as 1996 before the rules were tweaked by the FIA.

We talk about superstitious being part of our daily lives, sports is no different. To me, use of superstitious practices in sports is an extension of personal lives. In Formula One, the curiosity and the myth surrounding around the number '13' is one such episode. Pastor Maldonado, the mercurial Venezuelan driver has opted the number '13' for the 2014 season on his Lotus livery. Looking at the history, this number was used sparingly in F1.

Since 1976, F1 has not seen the number '13' appearing on a car. Divina Galica, one of the five female F1 drivers used the supposedly 'unlucky' number for her maiden drive in F1 at the British Grand Prix in 1976. Blame it on bad omen or lack of pace on the car, she did not qualify. She did get a run for two more rounds in the 1978 season and both times she failed to qualify.

Only Solana Moises has the distinction of racing a Formula one race (Mexican GP, 1963) with the number '13' on his car. He did not have much success in the race, classified eleventh for completing 57 laps before his British Racing Motors (BRM) engine failed.

In general, we have many instances of deliberately avoiding the number '13' owing to an irrational belief called 'superstition'. Despite this popular notion, we have seen in the sporting world - number 13 being used by 'well-known' athletes.

The list goes this way - Wilt Chamberlain (famous basketball player and first to score 100 points in a game) and the most valuable player  (MVP) of NBA for 2005 and 2006, Steve Nash using the number 13. In football, we had German player Michael Ballack who wore the # 13 jersey for both Chelsea and his national team (of which latter he was the captain); the world record holder for highest number of matches appeared in the history of football, Kristine Lillie (352 matches for USA) worn the so-called dreaded #13.

Other notable mentions include - Alex Rodriguez, Billy Wagner, Omar Vizquel - the baseball players; Alessandro Nesta, the Italian footballer; Jake Scott, Dan Marino, Kurt Warner and Don Maynard the American football players; Mats Sundin and Pavel Datsyuk, the ice hockey players. However, they form a pool of exceptions in grander scheme of things and Formula One going by the history doesn't belong to this pool of exceptions.

The story surrounding the ill-fate associated with thirteen goes back a long way in motorsports. It all started in 1925 when a car bearing the number 13 met with an accident - and its driver Paul Torchy died at the site of Delange Grand Prix. The very next year, Count Giulo Masetti died of a car accident bearing the number '13'. It was then decided by the French Automobile club to eliminate the number '13' from the races.

In Formula One, Mauritz von Strachwitz tried his luck first in 1953 at the German Grand Prix, failed to qualify and as mentioned previously, when Galica Divina attempted to qualify her Surtees Cosworth bearing the number 13, she finished 28^th out of 26 cars that could be part of the race. 

Thus Brands Hatch, the site of 1976 Great Britain Grand Prix happened to be the last time one saw a Formula One car to have the number '13' on it. Hence in the previous system of awarding numbers to teams - FIA never gave the number '13'. Instead the seventh placed constructor received the numbers 14 and 15 to their respective drivers as opposed to numbers 13 and 14.

Australia 2014 - season opener in Melbourne. What will Maldonado do? Will he be able to change the perception of many cynics? Not to discount the past, Maldonado surely has a much secured drive than his predecessors who used the number thirteen. In that sense, it nullifies most of the myth surrounding this number.

After thirty seven years there has been an attempt to 'eliminate' the fear of number '13', known scientifically as 'Triskaidekaphobia' thanks to Pastor Maldonado. 

For now - let's wait and watch as the action unfolds in less than sixty days time.

15 Years Later - Journey of The Great Indian Wall continues

It took fifteen years to witness what I missed on the English summer of 1996. As a 11 year old kid, I used to run to my friend's house down the road to watch cricket. Our house had cable connection, but due to different cable operators, ESPN wasn't on our viewing menu. Disappointed I was, but wasn't depressing as I had a friend who told me he had ESPN on his menu.

It was the evening of 21st June; India started their innings after England unfolded for 344 which included a resurgent hundred by Jack Russell batting lower down the order. Third day of the Test match after having played street cricket with my friends, I rushed to Basava's house 300 meters away from my house. First thing I remember was Ajay Jadeja getting out to Ronnie Irani, in fact he was bowled. Five wickets down and carrying the burden of having earlier watched Lewis castling Sachin Tendulkar, I thought to myself, Let's see what's in store for India this time.

This was my first viewing of India - England Test match, held in England. It was Lord's. I missed the first Test match at Edgbaston because I spent more time mourning and fighting with the cable operators. Looking back, wish Basava had told me his house had ESPN telecast.

Coming back to the Test match, out comes Rahul Dravid, local boy and someone for whom I always prayed he did well. He had a series of poor run at Singer Cup in Singapore and in Sharjah Cup against Pakistan and South Africa. I liked Rahul Dravid more so because he was from Bangalore. Till date, he remains my second favourite cricketer after Sachin Tendulkar.

Rahul Dravid joins Saurav Ganguly in the middle. Ganguly gets out after making a wonderful 131. By then, Dravid had weathered the initial butterflies a debutant goes through. And at the end of third day's play he had reached the first milestone of scoring a fifty. He had his Bangalore mate Kumble alongside him.

Day 4 - 23rd June, Sunday; I had to go with my parents to visit some relatives and also to shop for my birthday. Back then, I had to buy chocolates and sweets for my fellow classmates and teachers. Also had to plan what kind of dishes and number of friends I would have to invite home the next day. The match would begin at 3.30 in the noon (Indian time) and I had some time.

After shopping and the visits, I rushed to Basava's house to watch cricket. Kumble was out by then and very soon Javagal Srinath had to return back to the pavilion. I was bit nervous and was praying for Dravid's century. He took his time, taking singles and was well supported by Paras Mhambrey, who was playing his second Test. And then the moment came, Rahul Dravid edges a delivery from Chris Lewis through to Jack Russell and thereby ended his moment of glory by scoring a century on debut. He missed the landmark by five runs.

I was a happy man to see Dravid finally scoring runs. He followed it up by 84 at Trent Bridge, Nottingham in the third Test. He never looked back in the Tests since then.

15 years and one month hence, on a Saturday afternoon - Rahul Dravid walked out to bat at Lord's in what seems to be his last Test at this very venue where he made his Test debut. Barring Tendulkar, no one else in the current squad witnessed his debut as a mate. In these 15 years, Dravid managed to develop a unique relationship with Lord's. In his 154th Test, Dravid became the first player to play at Lord's while being a active member of MCC, now made it extra special by scoring the hundred. In his fourth attempt he finally made it at a place where it all began for him.

In the years to come, this hundred by Dravid shall remain in my memory. It has a journey of a cricketer and also the journey of me as a follower. I am watching the match on my laptop, in the city of Zurich, quite different from the street when I first saw him bat. It just goes to show, 15 years indeed seems a long time, but 'The Wall' manages to stay firm and looks solid for few more years to come.