F1 steering wheels have become a complex piece of equipment in the pinnacle of motorsport with several different buttons and switches. That is why, drivers can customize and design it to their liking. Back in his McLaren days, Lewis Hamilton designed his wheel which has become a reference point on the grid.
Hamilton in a recent interview claimed he redesigned the F1 wheel which has become a standard across motorsport. Based on this change across F1 and other racing disciplines, the Briton believes he should’ve patented the design.
Hamilton told CNA Luxury, “What a lot of people don’t actually know is that I re-designed the steering wheel when I was at McLaren. And when I came to Mercedes, I did the same thing, and the other teams have all copied the wheel. I should have copyrighted it.”
This is the design that Lewis came up with and said “he should have patent it” it’s used by almost all the drivers in the paddock currently.#F1
— Hutch (@Hutch_1313) September 25, 2024
The wheel features buttons for everything that help drivers control the balance of the entire car. There is also one to control the DRS. There is a radio button to talk to the team and even one to inform them about pit entry and then to control the speed in the pit lane.
However, the then-Mclaren man’s biggest change was regarding the design of the wheel. Earlier the design was circular and he changed it to a design where the handle comes down and doesn’t join at the bottom. The modern design has become a standard across the board in F1 and most wheels look the same but with just the button placement changing from driver to driver.
This is why, the seven-time champion felt he could’ve patented it. However, his creative and redesigning inputs don’t end here. He also designed a unique seat for his cockpit at Mercedes which has been the same for over a decade. The Briton made changes to the pedals as well with the engineers back in Brackley.
