Supercars considering tweaks to Gen3 steering wheel layout

Supercars is considering changes to the layout of the Gen3 steering wheel, according to Macauley Jones.

Steering wheels have now also become a tightly controlled item with the advent of the new ruleset, which makes its competitive debut at Newcastle next month.

By now, all 25 race cars which will roll out for the season-opener in the Hunter Valley have turned laps on a track, with Team 18’s shakedown nearing completion at Winton this afternoon.

While most teams have suffered isolated new car niggles, work is ongoing to solve more widespread issues with wheel nuts, as well as difficulties fitting cold wheels to the spindle in a ‘hot’ pit stop.

Another area which is apparently set for changes is the steering wheel.

“Even just the steering wheel is different, or the button layout; it’s, to be honest, not great,” said Jones in the latest episode of the new Brad Jones Racing Run Down podcast.

“You’ve got the drink button on the wheel that’s on the left side of the wheel, so you’re trying to have a drink, and then having to change gears.

“So, there’s a few buttons there that are really badly placed, I would say, and they’re looking to potentially amend that.”

As the Pizza Hut-backed BJR driver explained as part of the team’s Gen3 video series, steering wheel layout is now specified by Supercars, rather than being left to team/driver preference.

“We can’t change it without Supercars approval,” he added in Episode 2 of the BJR Run Down podcast.

“So, they are set buttons at the moment, but they’re looking to maybe make some changes, because [for example] the radio button is right next to the pit limiter.

“You’ve got to cross over the pit limiter to get to the radio button, and that’s the most frequently used button we have.

“So, to cross over a pit limiter… if you hit that on-track, it’s not going to go well, as you can imagine.

“So, just a few things like that just need some tidying up.”

BJR shook down all four of its Camaros on Tuesday at Winton, and remained there for what was officially its first test day on the following day.

Despite his concerns over the category-controlled steering wheel layout, Macauley Jones had a positive assessment overall of the team’s experience.

“We didn’t really have any issues,” he said.

“We ran the two days consecutively, the first day being the shakedown, and everything ran really well. it was really good to see.”

All teams will test at Sydney Motorsport Park this Wednesday, February 22.