Steering wheels: how drivers learn their buttons

Each one is different, but they're all high-tech pieces of equipment made of military-spec materials, designed to work in extreme conditions. F1 steering wheels do so much more than turn the car. 

Christian Hewgill and Katie Osborne explore steering wheels with the help of two expert guests:

Jose Manuel Lopez, Mclaren Principal Race Engineer

Jolyon Palmer, former F1 driver with Renault and GP2 champion

Jose and Jolyon tell us how wheels are designed, what all the buttons do, how drivers learn their wheels, how they make sure their unique wheel works best for them, and what happens if a driver hits the wrong button. 

If you have an F1 question you'd like answered, write or record it and email it to [email protected]

Level-up your F1 knowledge with our previous episodes:

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The 2024 F1 calendar - why it helps make F1 more sustainable

Wind Tunnels - the top secret tools where cars are created

Race engineers - the voices on F1 Team Radio

Pit stops - two seconds of total teamwork

Simulators with Aston Martin's Stoffel Vandoorne

Racing in the rain with Mika Hakkinen + Haas race engineer Mark Slade

Street circuits with Mika Hakkinen + Bernie Collins

F1 driver fitness with Alexander Rossi + Sebastian Vettel's former trainer

F1 in the USA - why the US has 3 races in 2023

F1 Sprint weekends with Haas driver Kevin Magnussen

For in-depth interviews with F1's biggest names, listen to F1 Beyond The Grid. For race previews and reviews, head over to F1 Nation.