Are you willing to sponsor?
Are you ready to explore the transformative power of athlete sponsorship for your brand? Click here to learn more about how sponsorship can help brands grow and thrive in the exciting world of motorsports.
By Silvia Schweiger| Posted June 26, 2024 | In Formula 1, Formula1
The cars of
Formula One
are marvels of engineering that push the boundaries of speed and performance. But to control these incredible machines, the driver needs a sophisticated interface: the F1 steering wheel. These high-tech jewels are more than just an object for steering the car. Packed with buttons, selectors and displays, the steering wheel allows the rider to control an incredible range of functions. In this post, we will dive into the world of F1 steering wheels, exploring their features and the astronomical costs associated with them.
At first glance, an F1 steering wheel , and the numerous buttons, dials and switches, might overwhelm us by looking more like the control panel of a spaceship than a car. But each button, lever and selector switch has a specific purpose, crucial to optimizing the car’s performance and giving the driver an edge on the track. Here are some of the key functions controlled by the F1 steering wheel, in addition, of course, to the gearbox and clutch, which are controlled via paddles on the back of the steering wheel:
F1 steering wheels must also be lightweight and incredibly durable. Every gram counts in Formula One, so materials such as carbon fiber are used extensively for the steering wheel itself. Buttons and switches are made of high-quality materials that can withstand the extreme heat, vibration, and G-forces experienced during a race.
Complexity and the use of state-of-the-art materials come at a cost. Although exact prices are closely guarded secrets from F1 teams, estimates suggest that an F1 steering wheel can cost anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000 or more. This high cost is due to several factors:
The F1 steering wheel is more than just an expensive steering device; it is the vital link between driver and car. By giving the driver intuitive control over a multitude of functions, the steering wheel allows him or her to extract maximum performance from the car. The multitude of controls represent the pinnacle of racing technology, a complex symphony of buttons working in concert to achieve outstanding performance on the track. Each steering wheel is a masterpiece of engineering, designed to perfectly suit the specific needs of its driver and car.
Typically, in a normal season, each driver has between three and five steering wheels at his or her disposal, in case they break, fail, or prove defective. Each of these examples is customized on the pilot’s grip, preferences and ergonomics, in addition, of course, to having endless customization possibilities for what is shown on the display.
F1 steering wheel technology is constantly evolving, with engineers and designers constantly working to improve functionality, ergonomics and performance. New materials, new technologies and new ideas are constantly being introduced, pushing the boundaries of what is possible.
Long gone are the years of the essential, linear steering wheels of Senna, Mansell and Prost (not to mention even earlier examples). One only has to go and look at a few images taken from Senna’s 1988 McLaren MP4/4 to see a completely different object from the ones we are used to today. First of all, the shape: completely round, with three spokes and absolutely no levers for the gearshift and clutch (the gearshift lever was on the right side of the cockpit, and one hand had to be removed from the steering wheel to operate it). Then the absolute lack of buttons and buttons, except for the Radio button and the Boost button, which is the Turbo pressure selector, forerunner of the modern DRS.
For racing fans, F1 steering wheels offer a fascinating window into the world of this highly competitive sport. These complex devices represent the intersection of man and machine, where the skill and reaction of the pilot are combined with the power and precision of cutting-edge technology. Perhaps partly because of this, these objects have always had a special appeal in the imagination and fantasy of every fan.
Today’s steering wheels, distant relatives of the round objects of the 1970s and 1980s, are a concentration of technology and customization: each one is unique, molded to the hands and habits of the driver, and encompasses an infinity of controls. The costs of these items are necessarily stellar, up to $100,000, and their production very limited.
Wielding one, now as then, represents a difficult dream to achieve.
Are you ready to explore the transformative power of athlete sponsorship for your brand? Click here to learn more about how sponsorship can help brands grow and thrive in the exciting world of motorsports.
Associate Director, Executive Marketing and Commercial at RTR Sports Marketing, a London-based sports marketing company specializing in motorsport for over 25 years. Without sports, life is boring
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By doing so, we are convinced that we are shortening the value chain, saving time and money. However, these DYI methods are anything but risk-free and what initially appears to be a competitive advantage soon turns into a problem that is difficult to resolve. That’s why there are agencies. And this is why you should rely on us for your sponsorships.
When first approaching a sponsorship or sports marketing project, it is difficult to know immediately which stakeholders are correct, what the decision flow is, and what the right timelines are for each process. Sports is a very specialized field of action, and fitting effectively into its paths can take a lot of time and therefore money. We, on the other hand, know referents and spheres of action and know who to talk to, when and how. So you are also more effective.
Sports is an immense passion, and for our heart colors we would be willing to do anything. But business is a different business, and it is important to make the best possible strategic decisions based on independent research, statistics and reliable data. A sports marketing and sports sponsorship agency like RTR has an objective, 360-degree picture of the scenario and can tell you what is really best for you: which sport, which athlete, which team. This is because we possess a great deal of data and information on ratings, segmentation and attitudes. Because the numbers don’t lie. Never.
Activations are the real heart of sports sponsorship. Without them, there remains only a blank sticker on a motorcycle, car or uniform and no contact with the public, no emotional connection, no impact on the bottom line. Then how do you do it? It certainly won’t be the teams or the athletes who will help you leverage sponsorship and enjoy the many marketing rights you have paid for. To bring out the best in a sports marketing project you need an agency that knows how to use sponsorship to engage the fanbase on the Web, to reach out to Shopping Centers, to organize hospitality, to develop B2B and B2C opportunities, and to get “your” athletes in front of millions of potential consumers.
Would you ever go to the dealer who sold you the car and ask if the competitor’s car is better? No, of course. So, how do you expect to get firm measurements of the effectiveness of your sponsorship if you do not rely on someone super partes? At RTR, we have always worked with independent third-party agencies that allow us to know the return on any exposure of your brand on TV and in the media. In addition, we believe in calculating ROI as the ultimate measure of your success-so we can tell you for every penny you spend how much you are making.
We have been involved in sports sponsorship and sports marketing for more than 15 years. We are consultants in the sense that our goal is to maximize your investment, but we are also an agency that manages the project from start to finish. We have been doing this since 1995 with passion and professionalism, following three principles that have become cornerstones of our business: independence, verticality and transparency.
I would like to highlight the fact that one of the qualities of RTR is its great ability to approach the sponsorship scenario strategically, together with its passionate attitude, its amazing enthusiasm for solving problems, and its high level of professionalism.
Gianluca Degliesposti
Executive Director Server&Storage EMEA
Eurosport is truly delighted with its business relationship with Riccardo Tafà, who has become extremely popular, thanks to his detailed knowledge of the sports marketing sector and his highly diligent attitude to work.
Francois Ribeiro
Commercial Director
Passion and Expertise are the features that I have found in RTR since the very beginning. Serious and reliable professionals but also very helpful, nice and open-mind people, willing to listen and compare different ideas. All the values in which RTR believes make this agency a partner, not just a supplier, a partner with whom we have had the opportunity to achieve significant commercial results in term of success and image.
Luca Pacitto
Head of Communication
We have been working with RTR Sports Marketing for over 10 years. The objectives and the programmes of collaboration continue to be renewed and to grow with mutual satisfaction. I believe RTR is a team of great professionals led by Riccardo Tafà, who I consider a manager of exceptional skills and with a great passion for his work.
Lucio Cecchinello
Team Principal
I have known and worked with Riccardo Tafà since 1995 when we collaborated for the first time on a project for the Williams Formula 1 team. Several clients followed. After leaving Williams to work for Gerhard Berger then owner of the Toro Rosso F1 Team, I turned again to Riccardo to seek his help in finding a tool supplier for the team and Riccardo duly obliged with an introduction to USAG, a partnership with Toro Rosso which endured for five years. I recently started a new role as Group Commercial Director for the renowned Andretti Autosport organisation and I find myself working with Riccardo once again on a number of interesting projects. Why has this relationship with Riccardo endured ? He’s smart, knows the commercial side of sport inside out and back to front and he’s honest and trustworthy. Riccardo Tafà is a “doer” not a “talker”: in over 20 years I have never had a dispute either with him or with a company that he has introduced and each partnership introduced by Riccardo has delivered quantifiable ROI to rights holder and sponsor alike. I can think of no better testimonial of Riccardo’s diligence, knowledge, contact base and hard work than that.
Jim Wright
Group Commercial Director
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