Inside an F1 Steering Wheel: What Every Button Does

In your car, a steering wheel turns the front wheels.

In a Formula 1 car, it runs the race.

Gear changes, brake balance, battery energy, radio calls, the pit lane speed limiter and, since 2026, the moving wings: almost everything a driver controls passes through the small carbon-fibre rectangle in their hands. And they work it while cornering at speeds that would leave most of us gripping the seat.

Here's what's on an F1 steering wheel, what each control does, and what changed for the 2026 season.

Paddle shifters on a Simfiniti direct-drive racing wheel

An F1 steering wheel by the numbers

No team publishes an official price, so treat the cost as an industry estimate. Each team designs its own wheel, and each driver's version is shaped around their hands and preferences.

Why is an F1 steering wheel shaped like a rectangle?

Because an F1 driver never needs to turn it very far. The steering is quick and direct, so even the tightest hairpin needs only a fraction of a full turn. Cutting away the top and bottom of the rim saves weight, frees space in a tight cockpit, and leaves room for the screen and controls.

The controls sit where a driver's thumbs and fingers can reach them without letting go. At racing speed, there's no time to look down for long.

During my time working on vehicle dynamics with Ferrari and Maserati, the geometry of the rim was always engineered backwards from human biomechanics: when steering effort peaks at 20 Nm or more under aerodynamic load, hand slip is never an option. The rectangular yoke locks the driver's wrists into the exact leverage plane required.

The paddles behind the wheel

Reach behind the rim and you'll find the paddles:

• Gearshift paddles. Right paddle for upshifts, left for downshifts. There's no gear lever and no clutch pedal.
• Clutch paddles. Two smaller paddles, used mainly at the race start and when pulling away from a pit stop. The driver releases them to launch the car smoothly.

The buttons and rotaries on the front

Every team lays out its wheel differently, and every driver has their own preferences. Most wheels carry versions of these controls:

In the middle sits an OLED screen showing gears, lap times, delta warnings and, since 2026, the battery's state of charge and aerodynamic status.

Click to Zoom

Click to Zoom

2026 F1 Steering Wheel Guide: Key buttons, dials, screen readouts and controls (Hover and click or tap to zoom)

What's new on the 2026 F1 steering wheel?

The 2026 rules gave drivers new tools, and the wheel changed with them (for a full explainer on engines, aerodynamics, weight and the 11th team, see our guide to F1 2026 rules explained):

DRS is gone

The Drag Reduction System, which opened a flap in the rear wing for a chasing car, has been retired after 15 seasons. Its button now does new jobs.

Straight Mode

Both front and rear wings now move. On designated straights, the driver switches into Straight Mode, flattening the wings to cut drag. Unlike DRS, it's available to every driver, every lap, whether or not they're chasing anyone. The wings return to Corner Mode, their high-downforce setting, for the corners.

Overtake Mode

This is the new tool for attacking. A driver who is within one second of the car ahead at the detection point gets an extra 0.5 MJ of electrical energy to use for an overtake.

Boost

The full-power button. Drivers can use stored battery energy whenever and wherever they like, to attack or defend, either in one burst or spread across a lap.

Recharge

Working with their race engineer, drivers choose from recharge modes that recover energy under braking and from the engine. With roughly half the car's power now electric, managing the battery is as important as managing the tyres.

One lap through a driver's hands

To see how it all comes together, follow a driver down a long straight into a heavy braking zone:

• Exit the corner. Thumb on Boost to deploy battery energy as the car straightens up.
• Hit the straight. Switch to Straight Mode. The wings flatten and the car surges forward.
• Chasing a rival? If they were within one second at the detection point, Overtake Mode brings extra energy for the attack.
• Brake. The wings snap back to Corner Mode for grip. Left paddle, clicked several times, for downshifts. The car recovers energy as it slows.
• Mid-corner. A quick twist of a rotary or a nudge of brake balance if the car is sliding.
• Radio. A message from the engineer about tyres or energy. Tap OK to acknowledge.

All of that happens in a few seconds, while the driver is pulling heavy g-forces and fighting for position.

How does a simulator wheel compare?

You don't need 25 buttons to drive your first lap on a Simfiniti simulator. You do get the most important part of the experience: the feel.

Our direct-drive wheelbases send the forces of the virtual car straight into your hands. You feel the front tyres load up in a corner, the kerbs rattle through the rim, and the rear start to slide before it breaks traction. Paddle shifters behind the wheel handle gear changes, just as they do in a real race car.

That's where most people start to understand why F1 drivers obsess over every detail of their wheel. It's their main connection to the car.

Want to try it for yourself? Visit one of our venues in Hyderabad, or bring the experience to your next event with our Hire Packages.

Frequently asked questions

The most expensive thing a driver holds

An F1 steering wheel is a computer, a radio, a gear selector and a set of wing controls, all in a frame you could hold in one hand.

The tech is extraordinary. But the feeling it delivers — the car talking through your fingertips — is something you can experience for yourself.