Maximilian Götz explains why he, unlike drivers such as Rene Rast or Lewis Hamilton, uses start number 1 and what will become of his previous start number
For the first time since Marco Wittmann seven years ago, there will be a number 1 in the DTM field again in 2022 thanks to Mercedes-AMG champion Maximilian Götz, who is switching from HRT to Winward. But why did the DTM champion decide against remaining loyal to his starting number 4, like Rene Rast with the 33 or Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton with the 44 in the past years?
Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen has also decided to drive with the number 1, “because he says there are not many opportunities in life. And a Mercedes with the number 1 does look good.”
But that is not the only reason, because for Götz, who was active in endurance racing for many years and always shared cars with other drivers, the number 4 was not a special trademark. “The number 4 was a team number,” he clarifies. “HRT always raced with 4 in different series. That was their classic number. “
HRT successor Luca Stolz takes over Götz’s starting number
He had chosen the starting number last year “because I have used it myself in the past”.
Strictly speaking, the number four has always been part of Götz’s starting numbers: in 2015 and 2016, for example, he drove with the number 84 in his first DTM era. Before that, this number had brought him luck when he won the 24-hour race in Spa in 2013 and the title in the sprint series of the Blancpain GT Series in 2014.
It is anything but certain that Götz – should he fail to defend his title – will be able to fall back on the number 4 car in the DTM in the future. “I have now changed teams, and the number 4 remains with HRT,” he points out, referring to the fact that now HRT’s successor Luca Stolz will receive his starting number from the previous year. This is unusual, because normally the number remains reserved for a driver even when he wins the title.
No driver has had the number 1 since Wittmann in 2015
But why has no driver driven with the number 1 since Wittmann in 2015 until Götz? The BMW driver only finished sixth in the standings the year after his surprising first title with the championship number. After winning the title again in 2016, he deliberately decided to give up the number 1. “The 1 has never brought me luck,” Wittmann explained the move at the time.
Rast always drove with the number 33 from 2017 until today despite winning three titles, Gary Paffett left the series in 2018 after his title together with Mercedes-AMG. Therefore, there was no driver with the number 1 in 2019 either.
