Number of drivers in F1 races

The average of participants in F1 races is 23.86. If for the seasons with the lowest average number of participants we have close values, 17.29 in 1969 and 18.91 in 1967, for the average with the most participants there is a big difference between the first two places. In first place is the 1989 season with 38.82 followed by the 1990 season with 33.81.

The last 6 seasons were the most constant regarding the average number of participants in the races, considering that before we have fluctuations the closer we get to the first F1 season in 1950.

Average participants by seasons

The fewest

Following some changes to the regulations, some teams were not ready with their car for the first race of the season, postponing their participation in the Monaco F1 race for over 4 months. This made the 1958 Buenos Aires F1 race to have only ten competitors, the fewest drivers.

Even though it was contested in the middle of January, the high temperatures led the organizers to shorten the race.

This is the penultimate race of Juan Manuel Fangio, obtaining pole position for the last time in his career and also the fastest lap.

The next races in the ranking are 3 races with 13 and 6 with 14 competitors.

• In 1951 we have 13 competitors at Spa-Francorchamps, where three more competitors announced their presence: Prince Bira and Jose Forilan Gonzalez from Maserati and Reg Parnell from Ferrari
• In 1958 at the Nurburgring we had 13 Formula One competitors, in a race in which there were also Formula Two drivers. Even if on the starting grid the first 9 places were occupied by Formula 1 drivers, at the end of the race in the top 10, we only have the first 4 places and the 10th place from F1.
• The last race with 13 pilots at the start took place in 1969 in Clermont-Ferrand

The races with 14 competitors were:

• 1950 Spa Francorchamps
• 1954 Spa Francorchamps
• 1968 Jarama
• 1969 Montjuich Park
• 1969 Nurburgring
• 1982 Imola

The most

Even though there were 42 drivers at Indianapolis in 1954, only 33 cars were at the start, at that time drivers could change cars or be replaced by another driver.

Thus we arrive at the F1 season with the highest driver average, 1989, when we have 13 races out of 16 with 39 drivers. After the qualifications, only 26 were going to participate in each race of that season.