Massa: Too many buttons on the steering wheel

[Malbec]

If you look at the onboard laps of let's say 10 years ago, the buttons on the steering wheel have gradually increased ten fold, yet the majority of the drivers seemed to have adapted to them effortlessly. Are there more accidents happening because of the increase in buttons? No. IMO KERS is just a gimmick in the name of technology, and this adjustable rear wing has all the possibilities of becoming a big FAIL, but these are optional for all teams, and any of the top teams would be foolish not to utilize them, so naturally the drivers HAVE to adapt to them. Also, saying "too much" does sound more like a whinge than an opinion.

Many of the buttons on an F1 car are for functions that are to be adjusted when the driver isn't busy, like engine mapping or differential settings. The KERS and rear wing buttons are going to be used when the driver is going to be concentrating on overtaking.

IMO this is the particular problem. The speed differential between the overtaking and overtaken car at the end of a straight is going to be potentially massive as you may have a car using both KERS and a low drag rear wing coming up behind a car that may already have used up its KERS that lap with a high drag rear wing. On top of that you have the overtaking driver twiddling with buttons at the same time. The scope for a large accident is pretty big.

But a bigger point is, how do you expect drivers to describe challenges they face without it being called whinging? If one of your friends tells you that an exam is hard or a particular colleague is tough to work with do you automatically call him a whinger? Personally I find it extremely interesting when drivers talk about new regulations and the effect it will have on their driving.

[Firstgear]

Yup - get rid of the buttons and use voice control, like in the old Inspector Gadget cartoon.

"Go - Go Gadget KERS"

[maxter]

But a bigger point is, how do you expect drivers to describe challenges they face without it being called whinging? If one of your friends tells you that an exam is hard or a particular colleague is tough to work with do you automatically call him a whinger? Personally I find it extremely interesting when drivers talk about new regulations and the effect it will have on their driving.

^This
I also highly doubt that Massa called around trying to find a reporter willing to listen to him "whine", though some of the members seem to think that's how these articles are born.
Most of the time the drivers are just answering direct questions, and personally I like hearing honest answers to those.

[Tazio]

some of the members seem to think that's how these articles are born.

Trolls have to eat, and they slurp this crap up!

[ShiftingGears]

There really isn't a comparison between having a lot of buttons on the steering wheel and changing gears with one hand on the steering wheel. While manually changing gears is much more physical it is more about doing one task and doing it well rather than managing about 20 different buttons for gimmicks that F1 doesnt need. (Read: ditch the Push to Pass button, and adjustible rear wing within one second of the previous car)

I'm betting most of you would rather be changing gears while steering with one hand rather than driving and having to manage about 20 different buttons on your steering wheel.

[Koz]

There really isn't a comparison between having a lot of buttons on the steering wheel and changing gears with one hand on the steering wheel. While manually changing gears is much more physical it is more about doing one task and doing it well rather than managing about 20 different buttons for gimmicks that F1 doesnt need. (Read: ditch the Push to Pass button, and adjustible rear wing within one second of the previous car)

I'm betting most of you would rather be changing gears while steering with one hand rather than driving and having to manage about 20 different buttons on your steering wheel.

Exactly.

Probably more like texting with both hands while driving...

[CaptainRaiden]

Many of the buttons on an F1 car are for functions that are to be adjusted when the driver isn't busy, like engine mapping or differential settings. The KERS and rear wing buttons are going to be used when the driver is going to be concentrating on overtaking.

IMO this is the particular problem. The speed differential between the overtaking and overtaken car at the end of a straight is going to be potentially massive as you may have a car using both KERS and a low drag rear wing coming up behind a car that may already have used up its KERS that lap with a high drag rear wing. On top of that you have the overtaking driver twiddling with buttons at the same time. The scope for a large accident is pretty big.

Fair enough. But really when is an F1 driver not busy during a lap? Maybe only when on the main straight, which is where they will use the KERS and adjust the rear wing in 2011. Didn't drivers block the F-duct with their left hands while on the straight AND change the brake bias and fuel mixture too last year? I saw Vettel and Alonso doing that on multiple occasions. What about Ferrari drivers pulling on, what seemed like a nob beneath the steering wheel on the straights in 2007? So, out goes the F-duct and in comes maybe two buttons which you'll press on the straights with your thumbs. It's not like they're bombarded all of a sudden with a gazillion buttons, so Massa's opinion does sound like a little bit of a whinge. It's not like I don't like Massa or anything, and probably I did read into it way too much, but hey, it's the off season. They should unveil the cars already!

But a bigger point is, how do you expect drivers to describe challenges they face without it being called whinging? If one of your friends tells you that an exam is hard or a particular colleague is tough to work with do you automatically call him a whinger? Personally I find it extremely interesting when drivers talk about new regulations and the effect it will have on their driving.

I have no problems with drivers describing the challenges they face or giving honest opinions. As for the analogy, if my friend was the only one complaining about the exam in the whole class, then yes, I would probably call him a whinger.

[CaptainRaiden]

^This
I also highly doubt that Massa called around trying to find a reporter willing to listen to him "whine", though some of the members seem to think that's how these articles are born.

Do you really honestly think people are this naive?

Trolls have to eat, and they slurp this crap up!

That's it Taz? No poem this time?

[Bagwan]

I thought Felipe and Jensen were friends .

[SGWilko]

Do you really honestly think people are this naive?

I'd stick my neck out and say I know people are that naive, just to get a reaction......