How F1 teams overcame superstition to embrace number 13

Thirteen has been considered unlucky in many cultures for hundreds if not thousands of years, and the fear of it is known as triskaidekaphobia. It is so prevalent that even in the 21st century some planes don’t have a row 13, and buildings are constructed without 13th floors.

The significance of W13 has not gone unnoticed within the Mercedes camp. Last month when there were suggestions that the new car still had to pass an FIA crash test the team’s communications department told the media that the prototype W13 had completed its homologation process on 13 January, while also pointing out that the crash test regulations are contained within Article 13.

“Good job we’re not superstitious about these things!” a team spokesperson joked.

In fact, Mercedes is the sixth outfit on the current F1 grid to have ignored any links to potential bad luck by using 13 in a model designation. Four of those cars won races – one even earned a world championship – so the Brackley team is hardly venturing into unknown territory.

However, there was a time when using 13 in motor racing was almost unthinkable. Indeed, Colin Chapman, Jack Brabham, Bruce McLaren, John Surtees and Ken Tyrrell are among the team bosses who stayed well clear of the number, and thus the histories of their marques skipped from 12 to 14.

It’s hardly surprising that superstition played a big role in earlier decades. In other sports competitors may have fretted about having an off day or losing a match or game, but in racing death lurked around every corner.

And it’s not just about 13. In Italy 17 is the unpopular number, while in the USA and especially at Indianapolis green was considered as a bad choice of car colour for many years.

Alberto Ascari, Ferrari 500

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