The buttons, dials, and switches on a carbon fibre Formula 1 2014 steering wheel are customized for each driver. Ultimately, this means that the steering wheels can get a bit, well, complex. Many wheels have more than 35 buttons, switches, and so on. Sauber recently revealed what goes into making these amazingly complicated wheels. "The steering wheel of a Formula One car acts as the driver’s command centre," Sauber stated in a release. The drivers use this device to steer, operate the clutch, change gear, and also control numerous electronic functions (like a button that lets the driver send a signal to the pit team, alerting them that they will be swinging by after the next lap is completed).
The teams all work with their drivers in order to develop the wheels. They use 3d printing in order to try out different designs. Using this method, the driver can judge whether all the controls are in the right position and request changes before final production of the actual wheel. The below image will give you a pretty good idea of the type of tech that we are talking about here and just how complicated it is.
To learn all about these awesome devices, see the videos below.
WATCH: Formula 1 Steering Wheel Infographic
WATCH: All About Steering Wheels
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