Porsche 919 Hybrid steering wheel: A Closer look

The centre rotary switch named MULTI corresponds with the two controllers at the very top outside of the steering wheel. When the race engineer, for example, asks for the setting “Alpha 21”, the driver chooses “A” with the rotary switch, then he chooses the 2 by the left hand red controller and finally the single digit 1 by the dark green right controller before pressing the OK button. Programmes for engine management or fuel management are designated by such combinations. The green rotary switch (RECUP) is for the energy recovery management.

In the centre of the lowest level sits the on/off switch for the combustion engine (Start/Kill). The two remaining controllers halfway up the steering wheel define the amount of energy when boosting (B – golden and on the left) and offer the strategy choice for the combustion engine (S – blue and on the right).

For easier recognition of the switches in the dark, their colours are fluorescent and respond to a black light lamp, which is situated above the driver’s helmet.

The steering wheel itself is made of carbon, the grip handles are covered in slip-resistant rubber. The Porsche 919 Hybrid comes with power steering, so that drivers can steer the car without any difficulty, even with the relatively narrow grips levels. When reaching through the openings, the fingers touch six paddles on the reverse side of the steering wheel. The centre paddles are used for changing gears : pulling the right paddle upshift, and the left paddle to downshift. The lower most paddles operate the clutch and the paddles at the top operate the boost; whether the drivers use these paddles or the boost button is their choice.

The steering wheel can’t become any larger, so it is impossible to have all operating functions on it. Therefore, for some changes the drivers have to reach over to the dashboard. With the switches on the dashboard, they can dim the display light at night, tune the windscreen wiper’s speed and adjust the volume of the pit radio. There is also the “N” button, which puts the gearbox into neutral.

So the next time you see a Le Mans car going through its paces on track, remember there’s a lot more going on inside the car’s cockpit than what meets the eye.