Kimi Raikkonen’s old F1 number is being brought out of retirement

Kimi Raikkonen's former race number will be brought back to Formula 1 next year.

Jack Doohan has revealed he will use Raikkonen’s trademark number when he makes his F1 debut in 2025.

The Australian will drive for Alpine next season, having replaced Esteban Ocon to become Pierre Gasly’s new teammate, and will run the #7 for his rookie campaign.

It is the number previously used by Raikkonen between 2014 and 2021. Under F1’s rules, the 2007 world champion’s number is now available for others to compete with. 

Doohan, who raced with the #7 in the Euroformula Open Championship in 2019, originally wanted to use the #12 for 2025. 

However, this number has been taken by Mercedes prodigy Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

“So that's it. Number seven will be my race number for 2025. Super psyched,” Doohan said in a video shared by Alpine.

“I really wanted to go with a number that I raced with before. Something that had meaning for me. I raced with number seven in 2019.

“And also one of my idols, a super special person and driver, Kimi Raikkonen, also drove with that number.

“I'm really looking forward to continuing it on and making it my own. And yeah, getting some luck from number seven.”

Antonelli, who will replace seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, revealed at the Italian Grand Prix that he had chosen #12 as his permanent F1 number.

“I will take 12,” he said. "I have many numbers that I like. But 12 is a special one, also because of an idol. I've been using it since F4. It always went well with 12. So, no reason to change it for next year."