The Haas VF-26 will carry an important innovation inside its cockpit, one that has also debuted on the new Ferrari, continuing a well-established technical tradition between the two brands.
Since the team’s debut in Formula 1 in 2016, Haas has consistently relied on Ferrari support. To this day, the Maranello-based manufacturer supplies the Gene Haas-founded outfit with key components such as the power unit, gearbox and suspension. Over the years, Haas has often appeared as Ferrari’s “little sister,” with cars frequently inspired by technical concepts developed in Maranello and sometimes even visually similar to the Scuderia’s single-seaters. The connection between the two teams also extends to infrastructure, as Haas operates a facility in Maranello and makes use of Ferrari’s wind tunnel for aerodynamic development.
However, Ferrari does not only provide the engine, transmission and suspension. There is also another, smaller yet equally crucial component supplied to the American team: the steering wheel.
The new Ferrari steering wheel also arrives on the Haas VF-26
Since 2016, Haas has used a Ferrari-supplied steering wheel, updated season after season until reaching the latest version, which marks a clear break from the past.
Between 2015 and 2025, the Ferrari steering wheel – occasionally adopted by Haas as well – underwent both ergonomic and technical refinements. It passed from the hands of Sebastian Vettel to those of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, collecting and integrating feedback from every driver who used it over a ten-year span.
Its overall shape and layout, however, never changed radically. Ferrari introduced additional rotary switches and buttons over time, but there was never a true revolution in design.
The real turning point comes in 2026, in conjunction with the new Formula 1 technical regulations. Ferrari has chosen to completely redesign its steering wheel, focusing on greater simplicity compared to the previous generation, which was considered one of the most complex on the grid. The new specification draws inspiration from Mercedes and McLaren designs and features a flatter lower section, with the removal of three rotary dials.
In the upper area, the button layout has been reworked, while another clearly visible change concerns thickness. The steering wheel now presents squarer shapes and, above all, a slimmer profile.
Significant attention has also been paid to the ergonomics of the side grips, which recall solutions previously seen on Mercedes cars.
As tradition dictates, Haas has also adopted this new specification, already visible inside the cockpit of the VF-26. In addition to managing increasingly complex Formula 1 cars, drivers will now have to adapt to a steering wheel with completely revised controls. They will need to do so quickly, as the upcoming season is expected to usher in a particularly intense and potentially chaotic new era under the 2026 regulations.
The technical bond between Haas and Ferrari threfore remains one of the strongest in the pit lane, ensuring that Maranello’s latest cockpit innovations quickly find a home in the VF-26. As the 2026 season approaches, the shift toward a more streamlined, ergonomic steering wheel marks a new chapter in how drivers will interact with the next generation of Formula 1 machinery.
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