F1: Who will get the number 1 car in 2010?

As Allan said, no driver would have the number one, Williams would have 0 and 2 again, as they did in both 1993 and 1994...unless Force India make a late charge to snatch the cherished #0, of course.

Drivers who have failed to defend their title: Fangio 1958, Hawthorn 1959, Rindt 1971, Stewart 1974, Mansell 1993, Prost 1994.

Constructors: Only Vanwall, in 1959 (the works team closed, and private Vanwalls only did two further GPs, both with Brooks at the wheel).

Therefore 1959 was the only season so far with neither the defending drivers or constructors champion taking part. Hawthorn retired (and was of course subsequently killed in a road accident just 3 months after winning the title), and Vanwall pulled out partly because of the failing health of the founder, Tony Vandervell and partly due to the death of Stuart Lewis-Evans from injuries sustained in Casablanca.

As far as I am concerned, and in all fairness, nobody in F1 next year should have the # 1. If Button wins the title this year (as he probably will), and Brawn GP will not participate to the F1 series, then they will have to start from scratch. F1 should give everybody numbers avoiding 1 and 2. The year after they should assign the 1 and 2 to the 2010 champions. Williams should not have the # 1 number. Why? Just because it is the highest placed in this year's F1? Not enough. They should rework all the numbers for all the teams.

More interesting would be for the new breakaway series (always if there is going to be one for sure). In that case Button and Brawn will be the F1 champions. But they will start something that is not F1 per se. Therefore, should Button and Brawn have the 1 and 2 numbers in the new series? I think they deserve those numbers, but it will not be F1 anymore, so to be fair again they should change the numeration to all teams without assigning the #1 and 2 to anyone. On the other hand, what's the big deal about the numbers anyway? It may matter on how they distribute the money and the pit stop location. But we have also seen that the pit stop location of the garages is not that important. If you have a strong car, you can be anywhere in the pit row, and still win. Money? I'm sure they have that already figured out. Probably first thing in their agenda, and they all must be in agreement already.

If the current World Champion isn't driving there cant be a #1 car.

When Mansell went off to the US in '93 as reining champion the Williams cars were given numbers 0 and 2, Prost took #2 and Hill took #0, the only other driver to have car #0 was Jody Scheckter in '73.

I cant think off the top of my head of a constructor not defending the title.

Edit, Great answer Rosbif.

Barrichello will in no way win the F1 identify. There are too many better opposition (Alonso, Schumacher, Vettel, Hamilton, Button, et al) and, if he by some potential gets right into a appropriate motor vehicle lower back, this is not likely he will continuously score extra factors than whoever his teammate would be. Hulkenberg might desire to correctly outperform him next twelve months in his rookie season. Barrichello has had a sturdy occupation in F1 yet he's no longer championship high quality. If he have been he might have gained it by potential of now considering the fact that he's had extra photos at it than the different driving force.

Probably Al Junior since I heard that NASCAR has made Ecklestone an offer he can't refuse.. so 2010 will be the first year of FORMULA ONE... NASCAR EDITION.

does it even matter. Whatever number you get its gonna be hollow

It would be Williams, I guess

Is this really happening, it is so serial

EQ: I have no clue