Massa: Too many buttons on the steering wheel

[tmx]

Well rename the F1 steering wheel so it would fit the description of the device. How about "keyboard steering clutch gearing wing-adjuster display controlpad".

[CaptainRaiden]

Whine Whine Whine.

Not Massa, the fans. We want to see proper down to earth racing not gimmicks but then when someone who's actually doing it replies to a question we suddenly want to bash them for pointing out that they're just glorified playstation controllers now.

I'm sure everybody would just love and prefer to drive karts and lower formula cars, but this is how modern F1 is and they have to deal with it. I don't see the rest of the 23 drivers complaining. Besides, KERS will be used only on the straights, and so would be the adjustable rear wing. They don't have to worry about them in corners, and I'm sure they're capable drivers and won't just randomly push it wherever and cause accidents.

KERS was there on 2009 cars and there weren't any problems. And it's just one or maybe two more buttons to adjust the rear wing. If he's already complaining about them, saying "Too many buttons, but well, what to do, I'll have to adapt," then that sounds like a little defeatist attitude to me.

[Donney]

I agree with Massa, and I'm sure he'll adapt.

[Kevincal]

Give them a steering wheel with no buttons and a stick shift and clutch please And oh ya a 1000 hp engine too

[555-04Q2]

Massa is right. Remember when Schumacher spun off at the Nurburgring while leading the race, recovered and won? He told the reporters afterwards it was because he was playing with the buttons on his steering wheel!

[Mia 01]

Felipe is right, but he has to play the game. These multitaske challenge will only hamper him and hamilton.

[nigelred5]

Give them a steering wheel with no buttons and a stick shift and clutch please And oh ya a 1000 hp engine too

AMEN!


I'd LOVE to see them simply go back to an overpowered car with a steering wheel, clutch and a brake pedal. The rev limiter can save the engine in the event of a missed shift. With engines that essentially operated in the 17-20K RPM range, Then heaping on KERS, keeping up with the shifts might be an issue. With much lower revving turbo engines on the horizon, a ban on the semi automatics would be lovely.

With the distracted driving laws now in effect, It's already illegal to use hand held cell phones and text messaging in cars in my state. I could lump GPS units right in there as well especially the OEM in dash units. I'm wondering when our nanny state is going to start saying the car itself is a distraction.

I hate playing most of the games my kids play on PS3 and Xbox because of the controls. Thank god for the steering wheel and pedals we have for the racing games. Now I just have to get a decent aviation style set of controls.

[Sonic]

Give them a steering wheel with no buttons and a stick shift and clutch please And oh ya a 1000 hp engine too

Now then he might have a leg to stand on suggesting he's overworked. Thousands of manual gear changes a race round somewhere like Monaco and then, yeah, perhaps he's got a point.

[SGWilko]

This is how many buttons you really need on a steering wheel.

I certainly agree that there's too many things on a steering wheel now. My 206 has indicator stalks, variable control for the wipers, radio controls, central display controls, fuel consumption display settings... it's madness.

When Mark Webber ran into the back of Heikki Kovalainen's Lotus last year, I'm wondering if he might have been distracted by the myriad of displays on his steering wheel, because his excuse was pathetic.

Hmmmm - did they have the ability to change the weather with that button?

[Mia 01]

Hmm, a few buttons at the seering wheel, thoose are grat fun.

Damn, missed the red light at the end of the pitlane. Sorry Kimi.