“It’s an upside down airplane”: When Danica Patrick explained the complex steering wheels of IndyCar

Danica Patrick raced in the IndyCar series in the mid-late 2000s. Since then, the IndyCar steering has come a long way. Back in 2019, Patrick explained the complex workings of a current-generation IndyCar steering wheel as she appeared on the 2019 Indy 500’s live telecast on NBC.

Patrick said in a video (via the Motorsport by NBC YouTube channel),

“The first thing that was shocking to me is that there is no clutch pedal anymore, it's just a clutch paddle. So all you have are these levers on either side based on what's more comfortable for the driver. Above it are the up and down (gear) paddles. And then on the front, obviously it looks like a fighter jet. This is an airplane, think of it, it's a racecar, it's an upside-down airplane.” (at 0:39)

The aerodynamics, including the front and the rear wing, on an IndyCar produces downforce which helps the car stick to the ground. Conversely, the wings on an airplane produce lift which helps it fly. With lift being the opposite of downforce, Patrick's analogy of calling a racecar an upside-down airplane was fitting.

“You have everything from your neutral. This is also an alternative for the clutch paddle. Every steering wheel is different between teams based on preference. There's a quick shift to change the weight balance between the left and the right front. Reverse if you get in trouble and you need to back up. There are modes and maps. Maps are for the fuel map and modes are for the ECU settings. You also have a page number to change the information on your display,” she added.

The IndyCar steering wheels are far more complex than any road car steering wheel. A driver has to make multiple changes a lap while sustaining all the G forces. The steering wheels are customized for every driver depending on how he/she wants the ergonomics to be. Danica Patrick went on to detail the struggles with the steering wheel from her IndyCar experience.

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“I couldn't see my steering wheel”: Danica Patrick reveals her struggles with steering as a short driver

An IndyCar driver's position inside the car is partially lying down while essentially sitting on its floor. The driver is seated as low as possible to keep the center of gravity low. This results in a position where just the head is peeping out of the cockpit. However, for shorter riders like Patrick, this creates an issue to see outside the car. Danica detailed the struggles and compromises she had to make with the steering wheel to see outside the car.

Patrick said in the same video,

“When I was back in the car for the first time, being as small as I am, to see over the wheel, yet be at the right angle with my body, I couldn't see my steering wheel. So I had to make an effort to see it. So, it really helps to be familiar with it if you can memorize it.” (reference 1:41)

The introduction of the hybrid engine will only make the steering wheels more complex by adding buttons for the energy modes.