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F ormula One is touted as the pinnacle of motorsports where great engineers, technicians, and designers combine to create a machine that can live up to the skills and abilities of its driver and help their team win races. The modern F1 car is a result of multiple complex components that are built to utmost precision like the vehicle’s steering wheel.
Unlike any road car, the steering wheel in an F1 car has countless functions and input points for saving space and reducing weight in the cockpit as it controls the entire single-seater car with the help of an Electronic Control Unit (ECU). Hence, F1 steering wheels tend to look extremely complex with about 30 buttons on them and a digital display.
Despite the steering being the most important part of the car have you ever wondered why drivers take off them off while stepping out of their car? The main reason behind this practice is safety. F1 has evolved so much that every detail is designed to keep the racer as safe as possible. Getting in and out of an F1 car is really difficult due to the lack of space in the cockpit, hence when drivers get out they first take their steering wheels off and then jump out, as it is more comfortable.
Similarly, during accidents, this function allows the driver to rush out of the car with more quickness especially in conditions of fire or any other. Another reason why drivers remove them is that F1 steering wheels collect information about the data of the car, the circuit, and lap times through which this information can be analyzed.
Talking about the price of the steering wheel depends on particular teams and the car's steering wheel, but it is estimated that they cost between $80,000 and $100,000. Each driver uses around 3 and 5 steering wheels per season so the cost of a steering wheel of a Formula 1 car can go up to an average of $240,000 to $500,000 per year.