Slotted behind the car’s halo and set deep within its tub, F1 drivers have more than two dozen buttons, knobs, rotary dials, menus, displays, and LEDs to interact with on the steering wheel.

The wheel still steers the car – not everything has changed! – but this simple function to direct the car has been added to time and again. In essence, F1 reinvented the wheel’s usage, and ...