The FW16 and its forebear, the FW15C featured a tight, V-shaped cockpit entry, meaning the driver's hands ran incredibly close to the cockpit even if using a smaller diameter wheel, like Mansell, let alone the larger one used by Senna. Senna had become accustomed to more freedom within the cockpit during his McLaren tenure, as seen here whilst at the wheel of the MP4-8 (left), whilst the FW16 (right) featured what had become a trademark for Williams over the course of the previous few years – a cockpit that enveloped the steering wheel for better aerodynamic performance. This small gap between the drivers and engineers choices couldn’t be clearer than when Senna moved to Williams in 1994. Nevertheless their grasp on the wheel, the freedom to use it remains imperative to performance. The wheel was not only an expression of their singularity but also gave insight into their driving style, which as we can see here from this comparative illustration resulted in some very different shapes and sizes.įor example, Mansell, who was known for wrestling with his car, opted for an extremely small diameter rim, whilst also having the thickest grip too. Even so, for two years in a row, a new wheel rim had to be supplied after the Belgian GP, as he exerted enough force on the wheel rim through Eau Rouge and Raidillon that it resulted in him physically bending it.Īt the other end of the spectrum, the likes of Senna had a large diameter wheel and much thinner grip, as his driving style was more delicate and less demanding on the integrity of the wheel itself. This allowed Piola to work closely with each driver to give them the individuality in their steering wheel they desired. And, whilst they were based in the same factory, the former (a more prestigious brand) only supplied steering wheels to McLaren. Steering wheel Mansell, Prost, Patrese, Senna, BergerĪt this stage of his career, Giorgio Piola was working with Nardi and Personal on their steering wheels. MANSELL v PROST v PATRESE v SENNA & BERGER Check out Giorgio Piola’s new Kickstarter offer on his latest range of watches
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