F1
Inside the Williams-Renault cockpit
July 17, 1991 - The Williams-Renault cockpit is a made to measure carbon fibre survival shell which grips the driver’s shoulders and elbows. Even his flameproof gloves are reinforced around the knuckles to reduce wear from rubbing the cockpit sides.
The gearbox in most Formula 1 cars is operated by a 10cm (4 inch) gearstick situated on the right-hand side of the cockpit. Only two teams, Williams and Ferrari, are racing semi-automatic cars in this years FIA World Championships.The clutch is used only at the start of the race. Both teams use finger plates situated behind the steering wheel to operate the gear selection electronically. By touching the right hand plate the driver moves up a gear; the left hand plate is used to drop down.
The advantage is that the driver can keep both hands on the wheel at all times and gear changes can be made in a tenth of a second. As more powerful engines are used the power bands become narrower and more gears are required to keep within the bands.
An on/off switch at the top right of the instrument panel isolates the gearbox when mechanics work on the engine. The front anti-roll bar adjustment lever, on the left of the cockpit, allows the driver to harden or soften the handling of the car, and the fuel mixture control, on the right of the steering wheel, is used to enrich or lean-off the fuel mixture depending on instructions from the pits.
The rev limiter over-ride allows brief periods of increased power while trying to overtake.
The brake balance control adjusts the bias of the brakes from front to rear as fuel is used up and the weight of the car is reduced. Next to the ignition switch is the rear red light switch for use in the wet. The fire extinguisher control is positioned so that it can be operated by the driver or a race
marshal in an emergency. The digital display screen shows engine revs, fuel remaining , oil and water temperature as well as lap time just completed. The two certificates on the right indicate that a) the car has completed the obligatory FIA crash test and b) the chassis number which is required for movement through customs. In the Williams-Renault cockpit the only touch of frivolity are the row of stars down the left hand side of the cockpit. A gold star indicates a grand prix win, silver represents second place and red means a pole position has been won.