[DeTomaso] Dumb question - why aren't steering wheels round anymore?

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 6/16/12 11 42 1, charlesmccall at gmail.com writes:


> I suppose that in F1 cars a round steering wheel wouldn't fit due to 
> their
> legs, but I'm seeing Le Mans cars that don't appear to have the same 
> problem
> and their steering wheels are sort of rectangular - a bar with two 
> vertical
> grips for the hands.
> 
> 
> 
> Whatever happened to round?.
> 

Round wheels are great if you shuffle-steer.   Current race cars with power 
steering enable the driver to keep his hands at 3 and 9 o'clock all the 
time, so there is almost no need for anything other than a pair of grips.

Steering wheels are mostly supports for control switches and knobs now 
anyway--steering almost seems to be their secondary function!

Mike