How Hamilton has changed his Ferrari F1 steering wheel to be like Mercedes’

Lewis Hamilton has made notable changes to his Ferrari Formulation 1 steering wheel format – incorporating button shifts and clutch and gearbox paddle adjustments that retain familiarity from his lengthy stint at Mercedes.

The adjustments are all a part of Hamilton’s adjustment to life on the Scuderia forward of the 2025 F1 marketing campaign, with the Italian staff working onerous to get him comfy with its programs.

This would be the first time in Hamilton’s 19-season F1 profession that he has not raced utilizing a Mercedes-powered automobile and for the reason that turbo hybrid period started in 2014, engine energy supply is much more tightly twinned with steering wheel programs than ever earlier than in grand prix racing.

When he joined Mercedes again in 2013, Hamilton claimed the steering wheel design he discovered on arrival from McLaren was “means too complicated” and obtained the Silver Arrows to rearrange its design – earlier than he launched one which was even additional completely different in 2014 in the beginning of his run to 6 of his seven titles.

Now, the identical course of with Ferrari has led to a change in design in comparison with that utilized by Charles Leclerc – albeit most importantly in the back of the wheel, whereas the front-facing format stays just like that of his new team-mate.

Ferrari has all the time tried to accommodate a driver’s request in terms of adjusting to its automobile programs and operations procedures, each by way of steering wheel form and software program composition.

Ferrari steering wheel comparability 2025

Picture by: Gianluca D’Alessandro

This course of was significantly evident throughout Sebastian Vettel’s time on the Scuderia between 2015 and 2020, as he requested such adjustments on a number of events.

The steering wheel Hamilton and Leclerc will use this yr at Ferrari originates from the design created primarily based on Vettel’s inputs.

Nevertheless, modifications have been made to the front-facing button format and the 2 paddles used for gear shifting and clutch management to make sure Hamilton finds the very best feeling with out dropping sure habits from his ultra-successful previous at Mercedes.

When observing Hamilton’s steering wheel from the rear (see the above illustration), noticeable variations might be seen in comparison with Leclerc’s model.

These variations largely stem from design selections developed at Mercedes and it’s commonplace for a driver to usher in sure traits from the steering wheels they used for earlier groups – as this helps with muscle reminiscence operations when competing at pace.

For instance, on the altered Ferrari design for Hamilton, the gear paddle has been utterly revised and has a considerably completely different form.

Mercedes W14 steering wheel element

Picture by: Giorgio Piola

It has thinner levers positioned increased, resembling a design Hamilton authorised at Mercedes, with the periphery coated with a special materials to enhance grip.

Leclerc, in the meantime, will proceed utilizing the identical format he has been accustomed to since his Ferrari debut in 2019. His paddles are bigger and positioned decrease – nearly completely behind the steering wheel spokes.

Since 2019, Hamilton has been used to managing the Mercedes clutch with a single paddle, and he has carried out the identical configuration on his new Ferrari steering wheel.

Nevertheless, there are variations in comparison with Leclerc’s paddle, not solely within the casing the place the fingers relaxation, but additionally within the paddle itself.

Hamilton’s clutch paddle intently resembles the one he had at Mercedes.

His finger casing can also be completely different from that of Leclerc, because it has been custom-made utilizing 3D printing to suit Hamilton’s completely different wants.

The adjustments to the clutch paddle and kit paddle are probably the most important {hardware} modifications, because the entrance of the steering wheel stays bodily unchanged in comparison with the one Leclerc makes use of.

Comparability of Ferrari 2025 steering wheels – entrance

Picture by: Gianluca D’Alessandro

However what has modified right here is the format of the buttons and rotary dials, and it appears Hamilton has acted once more to duplicate sure muscle reminiscences acquired with the Mercedes steering wheel.

That is possible as a result of Ferrari’s engine operation follows a philosophy fairly completely different from that of Mercedes, particularly relating to the decrease selectors on the steering wheel.

Ferrari’s wheel options six of those, whereas Mercedes mixed them into three rotary dials with a number of sub-menus for a driver to scroll by shortly.

Specializing in the higher part (above), Hamilton has relocated the ‘cost’ button for battery recharging to the highest left, alongside the button for navigating sub-menus (10-) and the impartial gear button.

Beneath the cost button is the DRS button, which Hamilton additionally had within the entrance part of his Mercedes steering wheel.

On the fitting facet sits the ‘Pit Affirm’ button (pressed by a driver to verify a pitstop usually earlier than getting into the pitlane), one other navigation button (1+), the pace limiter for the pitlane and the radio activation button.

Hamilton has additionally opted to place the K1 button (which prompts the engine’s electrical increase) on the entrance.

One other fascinating facet is the format of the differential settings, engine braking, and brake steadiness controls, which replicate what Hamilton was used to in F1 till this yr.

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Picture by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Photos

The rotary dial for entry differential settings is on the high left, whereas the high-speed differential (HS – Excessive Pace) is on the high proper.

On the left facet, subsequent to the show, is the ‘brake migration’ management for adjusting braking, whereas on the fitting facet sits the brake steadiness management.

This results in an intriguing remark: Hamilton has seemingly relocated {the electrical} system administration (SOC) to the decrease a part of the steering wheel—one thing no Ferrari driver has finished since 2015.

The steering wheel’s display software program has additionally apparently been up to date to function a special format for knowledge show relating to engine and tyre situation (amongst different capabilities) in comparison with how Leclerc prefers to see such info when on observe.

Discussing his new Ferrari steering wheel forward of F1 winter testing in Bahrain final week, Hamilton acknowledged “it is uncommon that you just leap in and it simply matches” as at his new staff “for instance, the steering was utterly completely different”.

“All of the change settings are utterly completely different,” he added. “The software program is completely different and the whole lot. I’m adapting to a automobile that is made fairly in a different way to what I’ve labored with up to now.”

Hamilton’s steering wheel adjustments have been additionally noticed by Haas rookie Oliver Bearman, because the American staff makes use of the identical Ferrari-built programs beneath its technical partnership association with the Scuderia.

However Bearman stated he had taken a private curiosity in seeing Hamilton’s new design early.

“I used to be ,” he defined in Bahrain. “I knew he would change a couple of issues on the steering wheel. It occurs yearly. And I used to be watching what adjustments he is made extra out of curiosity. I am a little bit of a nerd on that facet of issues.”

Further reporting by Oleg Karpov

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