Lotus F1 Reveals World's Most Awesome Steering Wheel

With only a few weeks to go before the first race of the 2013 F1 season, last night Lotus became the first team to unveil their championship challenger - the E21. More important than the retention of the ugly stepped nose, the fresh aero and revised livery, though, is the steering wheel. Because it’s awesome.

At £30k a pop, F1 steering wheels are a far cry from those you and I use everyday. Festooned with buttons and dials, we can only imagine how hard it is to operate the tiny controls, in gloves, at 200mph, and pulling 5g - all the while tussling for position and trying to spot your breaking point for the rapidly approaching right-hander.

We’d imagine Kimi “Iceman” Räikkönen is a dab hand at fingering his wheel though, and the E21 wheel pictured looks as though it’s been specifically designed for him. The flying Finn, who’s best known for mumbling profanities at his engineers, getting lost and enjoying ice-creams during Grand Prix, will feel right at home in the cockpit now the designers have had their way with his wheel.

With his left hand, Kimi will be able to order a Magnum, Tweet and bring up his sat-nav. With his right hand meanwhile, among other things, he’ll be able to give his Mum a quick ring, and operate his “anti-mumble” dial.

Our favourite part of the wheel is the “Jenson” button. Geddit?