GP2: Steering devices REAL cars

I watched the Gran Prix of Argentina on ESPN 2 yesterday and I saw some interesting things from the "in***pit" camera views. On the Williams/Renault car the steering wheel was round and the driver did not seem to take his hands off of the wheel at any time, going through corners. Can I assume that the car was equipted with the semi automatic shifting levers on the other side of the steering wheel? Also, the Ferrari car, driven by Shumacher (sp?) had a square type "yoke" device in it. It also seemed to have 4 buttons on the top area of the steering device. Are those the Shifters and the braking and acceleration controls? I'm interested in this because it has been stated in the past that the F1 cars used levers to shift gears. Are some of them now using buttons or levers to shift, and to gas and brake? Also, the Gran Prix of Argentina is NOT in the GP2 sim as far as I can see. Question: How often do they change courses on the circuit. I see that we no longer have Mexico and Phoenix from the F1GP old version, but we now have Pacific and Jerez. Is there a change of 2 tracks per season, on the average. If this is the case, could we petition the GP2 team for some add on tracks so we can produce seasons past. I personally used to "own" Phoenix...hehehe, and loved Mexico as well. JEB in Vegas

: I watched the Gran Prix of Argentina on ESPN 2 yesterday and I : saw some interesting things from the "in***pit" camera views. : On the Williams/Renault car the steering wheel was round and the : driver did not seem to take his hands off of the wheel at any : time, going through corners. Can I assume that the car was : equipted with the semi automatic shifting levers on the other : side of the steering wheel? Yes. Pull on the left paddle to down-shift, right paddle to up-shift. These levers have been in use since Ferrari (I think) fitted them onto their cars in the mid-1980s. As far as video*** goes, anyone who used to play Super Monaco GP and/or Virtua Racing will feel right at home with these devices :-). On a side note, Villeneuve's Williams has only one paddle on the right side of the steering wheel. Shift up by pulling back, shift down by pushing forward. Presumably this is to recreate the motion of sequential gearboxes in the Indy style. : Also, the Ferrari car, driven by Shumacher (sp?) had a square : type "yoke" device in it. It also seemed to have 4 buttons on Despite the looks it is strictly a wheel, not a yoke. : the top area of the steering device. Are those the Shifters and : the braking and acceleration controls? Yikes no! That would be like playing GP2 with a keyboard! :-) I'm guessing the buttons could be either a radio call, a pitlane speed limiter, an engine "kill" switch", a neutral gear selector, or a drink button. : I'm interested in this because it has been stated in the past that : the F1 cars used levers to shift gears. Are some of them now using : buttons or levers to shift, and to gas and brake? As far as I know (and hope), NO Formula 1 teams are assigning brake and gas functions to hand levers and buttons (what would that leave the feet to do?). Some teams have tried "fly-by-wire" electronic throttles, but that is the extent of change. On a side note, Schumacher's '94/'95 Benetton could shift gears via buttons in front of the steering wheel. On some Mickey Mouse circuits, one button was assigned to automatically shift down to 2nd gear. : Also, the Gran Prix of Argentina is NOT in the GP2 sim as far as : I can see. Question: How often do they change courses on the : circuit. I see that we no longer have Mexico and Phoenix from the : F1GP old version, but we now have Pacific and Jerez. Is there a : change of 2 tracks per season, on the average. Trite, but it all depends on who has the money at any particular moment. Seeing how tobacco laws in some countries are making it *** F1 sponsors, expect new tracks in the future taking place in more "***" locales such as (possibly) China, Indonesia, and the United States. : If this is the case, could we petition the GP2 team for some : add on tracks so we can produce seasons past. I personally used to : "own" Phoenix...hehehe, and loved Mexico as well. Looks unlikely considering they had to settle with the 1994 season... Of course, if you're just itching to race at Argentina and the Nurburgring, you can always give the Playstation F1 game a try when it comes out (at this point, the graphics of that game seem poised to -er- kick GP2s ass :-)). Hope that helped! Martin Nigel Mansell RIP!

Quoted text (26 lines)

> I watched the Gran Prix of Argentina on ESPN 2 yesterday and I > saw some interesting things from the "in***pit" camera views. > On the Williams/Renault car the steering wheel was round and the > driver did not seem to take his hands off of the wheel at any > time, going through corners. Can I assume that the car was > equipted with the semi automatic shifting levers on the other > side of the steering wheel? > Also, the Ferrari car, driven by Shumacher (sp?) had a square > type "yoke" device in it. It also seemed to have 4 buttons on > the top area of the steering device. Are those the Shifters and > the braking and acceleration controls? > I'm interested in this because it has been stated in the past that > the F1 cars used levers to shift gears. Are some of them now using > buttons or levers to shift, and to gas and brake? > Also, the Gran Prix of Argentina is NOT in the GP2 sim as far as > I can see. Question: How often do they change courses on the > circuit. I see that we no longer have Mexico and Phoenix from the > F1GP old version, but we now have Pacific and Jerez. Is there a > change of 2 tracks per season, on the average. > If this is the case, could we petition the GP2 team for some > add on tracks so we can produce seasons past. I personally used to > "own" Phoenix...hehehe, and loved Mexico as well. > JEB in Vegas

Hi JEB, My God, the Argentina Grand Prix was ages ago, but never mind, you saw it... that's the important thing here. Well, the F1 cars shift up and down with super light carbon fibre levers at the back of the steering wheel, just as you assumed (so it's semi automatic). the left one is for shifting down, the right one for shifting up.The buttons on the front of the steering wheel are mostly for shifting down more than one gear, very usefull when breaking from 300 km/h till about 90 km/h, shifting from sixth gear to first in one stroke ! Also from fifth to second or whatever the driver wants. There's a button for communication with the pits as well as a button to put the car in neutral (for pitstops). The clutch is also most of the times on the steering wheel (some still use a pedal, I believe Alesi is one of them), but they normally only use it at the start. Luckely they still have to use their feet to gas and brake ! Considering the tracks: in case you haven't noticed, or just didn't know, this is the '94 season that's been simulated. This means the tracks are from the championship of that year. Makes perfect sense, actually. So no more Phoenix and Mexico (I don't really mind).Argentina was in the championships for the first time last year, so probably will be added in future updates ! See Ya, Eddy

Not brakes and gas. Nope. Depends on money I think. We're probably getting an Austrian Grand Prix back next season (after 9 years?) instead of Hungary, and there is still one date unset that China want. We've also had South Africa a couple of times since F1GP originally came out. And of course the new Australian circuit in Melbourne. A track editor/builder would be brilliant. Personally, I want to see a game with a Brands Hatch Circuit. > JEB in Vegas -- Tony Bullock [link lost in import]

Yup. There are paddles behind the steering wheel to shift gears upward and downward. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Schumacher Not too sure, but most of the top F1 teams seems to be equipped with buttons for: pit road rev-limiter automatic downshift pit radio I could've sworn I had the fourth button's function in my head, but it leaked out of my ear as I typed. :-( Ah, yes! I remember! Some drivers have a clutch button too, prefering those over pedals. They're only used on the standing start, though; gear-shifting in F1 (as well as IndyCar) no longer requires using the clutch. As I stated above: paddles to shift, button to downshift, pedals to gas and brake. Yeah, two is about right. We're trying (I'm particularly looking for add-ons to include tracks, cars, and drivers from this season)! Now we'll see if GC and Co. will listen to us. -- +------------------+--------------------------------------------+ | G. Warren Abao | Official BBL Jacksonville Jaguars Website: | +------------------++------------------------+------------------+ | SPOOOOOOOOOOON!!! | BBL Jacksonville 1-0 | IFL Chicago 11-6 | +-------------------+------------------------+------------------+