Excepting the throttle and brake pedals, few Formula One cars have any controls other than those on the face of the wheel. Buttons tend to be used for 'on/off' (digital) functions, such as engaging the pit-lane speed limiter system, while rotary controls govern functions with multiple settings, such as engine mapping, traction control program (banned after 2008 by FIA rules), fuel mixture and even the car's front-to-rear brake bias and the advent of launch control programs (banned after 2008 by FIA rules), that optimized the race start procedure all required various buttons and toggle switches to enable the driver to fine-tune his car's settings while on-track. The steering wheel is also used to house instrumentation, normally via a multi-function LCD display screen and - more visibly - the ultra-bright 'change up' RPM lights that tell the driver the perfect time for the optimum gearshift.
Race control can also communicate with the driver via a compulsory, steering-wheel mounted GPS marshalling system. This displays warning lights, with colors corresponding to the marshals' flags, to alert drivers to approaching hazards, such as an accident, on the track ahead. The steering wheels are not designed to make more than three quarters of a turn of lock in total, so there is no need for a continuous rim, instead there are just two 'cut outs' for the driver's hands. One of the most technically complicated parts of the whole Formula One car is the snap-on connector that joins the wheel to the steering column. This has to be tough enough to take the steering forces, but it also provides the electrical connections between the controls and the car itself. The FIA technical regulations state that the driver must be able to get out of the car within five seconds, removing nothing except the steering wheel - so rapid release is vitally important.įormula One cars now run with power assisted steering, reducing the forces that must be transmitted by the steering wheel. This has enabled designers to continue with the trend of reducing the steering wheel size, with the typical item now being about half the diameter of that of a normal road car. The manufacture of any part on a Formula 1 car is a complex process, and the steering wheel is no exception.
#Cowboy steering wheel drivers drivers#.
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