Tech F1i Mexico: A look at the work place of Max Verstappen

BUTTONS GALORE

Over time, an F1 driver's steering wheel has become a veritable real dashboard. The one on the Red Bull of Verstappen and Ricciardo includes, on its front face, a multitude of buttons and knobs, which we decipher below.

1 – DIFF: adjusts the differential

2 – N (“Neutral”): puts the gearbox in neutral

3 – –10 / +1: ups or lowers, from 1 to 10, the value of one of the parameters actioned by turning knob number 8

4 – RADIO: Verstappen and Ricciardo push this button to talk to their engineer

5 – BBAL (“Brake Balance”): changes the brake balance, also adjustable by the buttons BB– and BB+ (7)

6 – DRINK: activates the pump, which allows the drive to drink

8 – TYRE: adjusts the car’s settings to the current state of the tyres (following steps indicating the “tyre phase”)

9 – CHARGE: defines the amount of energy recuperated or released by the ERS: the driver turns the wheel to the left (“fill”) or the right (“drain”) according to the strategy

10 – FUEL: changes the air/fuel mixture

11 – DISP (for “Display”) : allows the various parameters to be shown on the display: “FORM”, “FUEL”, “TYRES”, “BRAKES”, “TYRES”, “SAFE”, “IN LAP”

12 – MODE: changes the mapping of the engine

13 – REV: probably used to release a temporary boost

14 ­– MID: adjusts the differential mid-corner

15 – FAIL: puts all the systems in a safety mode (“fail safe”)

16 – PIT: pitlane speed limiter

17 – PC (“Pit Confirm”): confirms the message from the pits is well received without having to talk

18 – TORQ: adjusts the torque