A few questions about power steering.

[HenryBraxton]

First, when was it introduced? Cars from the 40's to mid 50's all featured positive camber and very large steering wheels, I've heard that this is to reduce steering forces, so presumably they didn't have it. Then sometime in the 60-70's-, the steering wheels got smaller and the front wheels transitioned to neutral or negative camber, which roughly correlates with power steering appearing on some road cars. And if it was introduced somewhere around then, has it been present ever since? Or did some teams decide it wasn't necessary? I'm asking mostly because it irks me when people say things like, "look at them go! no power steering, no traction control, no ABS! that's real driving!" despite the fact that all three systems were present at some point in the 80-90's.

Ranting aside, what about the modern systems? I don't recall seeing much about it in the technical regulations, is the equipment standardized across the field to prevent (very dangerous) reliability issues? Do we know if it's electronic or hydraulic? Thanks.

[Big Tea]

The large steering wheel was needed before power steering as the leverage was required to turn the wheels and still use sensible gear ratio. (larger dia, more levers)

[marmer]

I don't think it's standard parts

Truli used it as a reason for his poor performance in the caterham that he couldn't quite get it set up right for him
Kovealinen didn't have any issues so there must be some allownc for different parts if trulli changing teams and maybe systems affected him


Although at the time I thought it was just an excuse for being rather crap generally as he wasn't that good in hindsight really

[JordanMugen]

sometime in the 60-70's-, the steering wheels got smaller and the front wheels transitioned to neutral or negative camber, which roughly correlates with power steering appearing on some road cars. And if it was introduced somewhere around then, has it been present ever since? Or did some teams decide it wasn't necessary?

Minardi F1 had no power steering until about 2002 or 2003. The lower downforce level of their car did not require it.

To this day, Indycar has no power steering, and neither do F2 or Super Formula. Therefore it is seems likely that many F1 cars until the late 90's (vehicles which were about the same speed as a modern F2 car) did not have power steering.

Do we know if it's electronic or hydraulic?

I recall that modern F1 cars use some kind of miniaturised hydraulic power steering system.

See the steering rack here on this cutaway Sauber: http://www.ausmotive.com/F1/2012/Sauber ... way-07.jpg

[Jolle]

Electric powersteering is forbidden because you could use it as driver aid.

Maybe it will make a return if it will become a standardized part, where you can tweak the software to suit the car and driver. Current hydraulic are too complex to change on the fly plus they are way more expensive then electrical ones and have no other use then racing.