25 replies to this topic

[Hati]

If there is a thread of these complex piece of equipments I didn't find it. I have only one question that may already be answered somewhere, why Williams has so much simpler steering wheel than others? When wheel is shown in camera I think everybody else has a wheel with big display but Williams guys has much simpler looking wheel, something that looks like from a GT car.

[Ross Stonefeld]

I think their display is mounted to the car rather than the wheel? 

[Hati]

That seems to be the case.

 

Never noticed it on clips they've shown live. Question pretty much remains, what's the benefit of doing it differently from others.

[PayasYouRace]

Lighter steering wheel with fewer electrical connections?

[Dutchrudder]

Also the display stays level in the drivers view, the drawback being it is possibly blocked at full lock, which may be why the other teams have it as part of the wheel.

[Calorus]

That seems to be the case.

 

Never noticed it on clips they've shown live. Question pretty much remains, what's the benefit of doing it differently from others.

 

No particular benefits - they've done this constantly since screens appeared, and no-ones chosen to follow them.

Edited by Calorus, 04 September 2020 - 16:07.

[milestone 11]

'Cos, you know, they're a constructor and insist on making everything themselves.

[Ross Stonefeld]

It was originally a Newey thing. He did it at McLaren and then Red Bull. McLaren, and even Red Bull, eventually switched to in-wheel displays. And then Williams randomly decided to give it up. Just to be different? I dunno. You do get some weird angles when it's in the wheel but at least you never block your view. 

[Calorus]

'Cos, you know, they're a constructor and insist on making everything themselves.

 

Pretty much everyone else makes their own steering wheels, they just mount the the screens in them.

[milestone 11]

Pretty much everyone else makes their own steering wheels, they just mount the the screens in them.

I surrender.

[Izzyeviel]

A shame we can't that style of camera for the F1 feed. The current onboard cameras we see during the race make driving at 200mph look easy and serene. 

[Rodaknee]

It was originally a Newey thing.
 

 

John Barnard

[Calorus]

Surely everyone did it, until they were move to the wheel, but Williams never moved?

[PayasYouRace]

Another benefit I can see is that it frees up more space on the wheel itself for all the various controls. With the wheel mounted screens, it means a larger wheel with all the knobs and buttons crammed round the sides.

 

It's weird that Williams are the only team to maintain the cockpit mounted display, but it's not going to be big performance differentiator.

[Ross Stonefeld]

Surely everyone did it, until they were move to the wheel, but Williams never moved?

 

Everyone pretty much started doing in-wheel displays but Newey-McLarens held out, and later Newey-Red Bulls. Then, I think, everyone had in-wheel displays, then suddenly Williams went back. 

 

2012

 

2013

 

It's like they changed their mind at the last minute and glued it on 

[Rodaknee]

Another benefit I can see is that it frees up more space on the wheel itself for all the various controls. With the wheel mounted screens, it means a larger wheel with all the knobs and buttons crammed round the sides.

 

It's weird that Williams are the only team to maintain the cockpit mounted display, but it's not going to be big performance differentiator.

During the lap, the display disappeared below the wheel several times.  If the camera was mounted on top of the helmet, what could the driver actually see?

 

Here's a winning wheel.  The screen shows a lot more than the rev counter.  I believe they can put up text messages from race direction too, best of luck reading them on the Williams display.

 

[Ross Stonefeld]

The display is the same, it's just mounted differently. But yes I think I'd prefer it where I can see it at all times. 

[PayasYouRace]

During the lap, the display disappeared below the wheel several times.  If the camera was mounted on top of the helmet, what could the driver actually see?

 

Here's a winning wheel.  The screen shows a lot more than the rev counter.  I believe they can put up text messages from race direction too, best of luck reading them on the Williams display.

 

 

That camera is obviously mounted below the driver's eyes.

 

The display is a spec part across all the teams. Obviously the Williams one is visible to the driver.

[Fatgadget]

Lighter steering wheel with fewer electrical connections?

Huh? Wireless connections these days no?

 

EDIT: All via canbus!

Edited by Fatgadget, 04 September 2020 - 18:38.

[Jazza]

I can’t remember where I saw it stated, but I believe the reason behind it was to do with lowering the weight of the wheel.

The idea being that at a lighter wheel will give the driver better feedback and enable quicker directional responses, as a heavier wheel will absorb more of the energy as well as adding inertia to whatever direction the wheel is rotating.

The reasoning seems logical enough, but considering that no one else has gone down this direction it’s got to be questionable how much of a benefit it actually has.

[Rodaknee]

 

The display is a spec part across all the teams. Obviously the Williams one is visible to the driver.

 

 

The Williams display appears to be monochrome, the Mercedes certainly isn't.

[Kalmake]

The Williams display appears to be monochrome, the Mercedes certainly isn't.

Some views might not have much color, but it's a color display. For over a decade all displays have been McLaren Applied products along with the ECU.

 

[Bloggsworth]

That seems to be the case.

 

Never noticed it on clips they've shown live. Question pretty much remains, what's the benefit of doing it differently from others.

Cheaper wheels...

[Ross Stonefeld]

I can’t remember where I saw it stated, but I believe the reason behind it was to do with lowering the weight of the wheel.

The idea being that at a lighter wheel will give the driver better feedback and enable quicker directional responses, as a heavier wheel will absorb more of the energy as well as adding inertia to whatever direction the wheel is rotating.

The reasoning seems logical enough, but considering that no one else has gone down this direction it’s got to be questionable how much of a benefit it actually has.

 

Jeez, imagine how much slower Williams would be with a 'heavy' wheel 

[Hati]

What the new regulation that makes one mode mandatory means for the wheel? One knob less?

[Kalmake]

What the new regulation that makes one mode mandatory means for the wheel? One knob less?

Not much as they can still tweak freely in practice sessions.