A Formula 1 steering wheel is a complex piece of equipment in today’s world. However, when utilized to its full potential, as Max Verstappen does, it can significantly enhance the performance of the car. Technical expert Ernest Knoors explains this concept using the RB20 steering wheel as an example.
There are countless settings on the steering wheel, but if you consider what can be adjusted during a lap to truly enhance performance and improve lap time, you’ll quickly realize that the engine, brakes, and differential are key. The latter two, in particular, have a significant impact on a car’s balance. The challenge is that they also affect each other, which can easily cause confusion in the cockpit.
However, once you’ve mastered this and start fine-tuning behind the wheel, you can optimize the car for each turn. This can be particularly advantageous during qualifying. For rookie F1 drivers, all of this is quite complex, especially since most of these features are not available in lower formula classes. Simulators are therefore crucial for learning these aspects as quickly as possible. Not only to understand what each button does, but more importantly, to figure out how to use them to your advantage.
Real World vs. Simulated World
There is a downside, however. No matter how many hours you spend on the simulator, things often work differently in the real world. This was beautifully demonstrated by Max Verstappen during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in 2023. Sergio Pérez won that race in Baku, but the world champion said he learned a lot about his car that Sunday afternoon. He experimented with the differential, brake balance, and possibly even the engine settings during the race.
And that’s where the major difference with the simulator lies. On the track, you experience what the car actually does, not what the model says it does. And while the simulation can be very accurate, it’s never perfect. Verstappen simply learned even more about how to optimize his car. The outcome of that season is, of course, well known.
Look, not every driver is an Einstein. Some understand the above, and some don’t, or they don’t have the mental capacity to manage it while driving. It’s very easy to lose track. But the great champions of the sport, like Michael Schumacher in his time, and currently Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, and of course Verstappen, have mastered this game. They understand their cars very well and simply get more out of them than others.
