F1, Ferrari: which steering wheel will Lewis Hamilton use?

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Lewis Hamilton is a perfectionist who doesn't like to leave anything to chance. The seven-time world champion is expected in Maranello to begin his third (and final) F1 adventure after his experiences with McLaren (champion in 2008) and Mercedes (champion in 2014, 2015, and then from 2017 to 2020). The Scuderia will do everything possible to make the Brit feel comfortable, especially since Loic Serra, the Maranello team’s new technical director recently arrived from Brackley, knows the needs of the British driver inside out.

It's easy to predict that Lewis has asked Ferrari if it's possible to create a steering wheel-computer that is as similar as possible to the one he used for many years at Mercedes, having developed an automation of movements for the switches and controls that positioned the main adjustments in a comfort zone without impacting performance.

If this applies to the front part of the steering wheel-computer, it can already be said that the similarities on the back are greater, at least regarding Charles Leclerc’s clutch usage. The Monegasque driver has carried forward a solution introduced in Maranello at the request of Sebastian Vettel, which was later adopted by Kimi Raikkonen and Charles Leclerc. Carlos Sainz, however, preferred to continue with a different system that didn't rely solely on a long clutch paddle but rather used two paddles, one on each side.

To provide some historical context, it's worth recalling that Ferrari, in the 2008 season, adopted a sophisticated clutch management system with two paddles per side deemed essential for ensuring lightning-fast starts.

McLaren responded to Ferrari with an even more complex solution on the MP4-22, featuring a total of six paddles (three per side): in addition to the gear lever and clutch paddle, there was a third one used for rapid adjustments to the engine and differential mapping, aiming to simulate a sort of manually controlled traction control. Once the first gear was engaged with the initial paddle, it was possible to modulate power management based on the clutch’s engagement point.

With the ban on certain electronic aids that allowed semi-automatic starts, McLaren reversed its approach in 2011, focusing on making clutch and gear controls more ergonomic and functional. This took into account the addition of a paddle for KERS activation and the DRS command. Meanwhile, the formerly round steering wheel was flattened at the bottom to enhance leg mobility.

In 2012, Lewis Hamilton’s final year with McLaren, the activation of the DRS was moved from the steering wheel to the floor of the chassis so it could be operated by the driver's left foot. This solution, introduced by Ferrari, was adopted by McLaren and Mercedes but later banned by the International Federation.

When Lewis made the sensational move from McLaren to Mercedes in 2013, the British driver asked Mercedes engineers if it was possible to retain the controls he was accustomed to on the W04. He discovered that the solutions previously developed by Michael Schumacher suited his needs far better than those chosen by his teammate, Nico Rosberg.

The two had differently colored switches and varied functional arrangements: Lewis opted for a DRS control operable on the rim with his left thumb, while the rear featured six paddles, two of which controlled the KERS as he had in McLaren. Nico Rosberg, on the other hand, preferred only four paddles that were larger and of a different shape. Another key difference between the Mercedes pair was the steering wheel’s position relative to their bodies: Hamilton preferred it a few centimeters closer to his torso than Nico did.

In 2014, with the W05 and the introduction of hybrid regulations, many controls changed to adapt the steering wheel to the new requirements of the complex power units. The wheel rim was reshaped with two side grips but lacked the classic circular shape. The digital dashboard was enlarged to facilitate data reading and accommodate a multiplication of available information. At the rear, Rosberg retained gear paddles with downward extensions on both sides and significantly larger clutch paddles. However, compared to the previous year, both drivers reduced the paddles from six to four.

An important change was identified during the 2017 winter tests in Barcelona by Giorgio Piola: the FIA had imposed a maximum clutch lever travel of 80 mm to prevent attempts to simulate manual traction control.

To regain sensitivity in clutch engagement, Hamilton decided to try a sort of double carbon thimble where two fingers could be inserted, enabling very modular clutch engagement at the start, while a spring ensured the lever's quick return to the neutral position. In its latest evolution, Lewis chose a single clutch paddle first tested by Sebastian Vettel, offering greater sensitivity due to a much longer lever. Ferrari adopted this concept, with Kimi Raikkonen and later Charles Leclerc using it, while Carlos Sainz always preferred two shorter paddles over one long one.

It's easy to predict that Lewis Hamilton, upon joining Ferrari, will choose a single-paddle clutch control. Ferrari's steering wheel seems significantly more complex than Mercedes'. Will Lewis request a simplification of the controls to maintain the functionality he had on the W15, or will he, during simulator work in January, adapt to the systems developed in Maranello? The topic is intriguing, as by January 22, the expected debut date at Fiorano with the F1-75, these uncertainties must be resolved. At most, further detailed modifications can follow.

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