The common man might look at a Formula 1 wheel and wonder how it would look on a car, or on display in a shop, or even be converted into a cool coffee table. Wondering what it’s like to drive, however, venture into the realm of crazy automotive science. We love that world.
We were introduced to this strange experiment thanks Q on YouTube, and we’re even treated to a cool illusion right off the bat. Imagining what an F1 wheeled skateboard looks like, a few cleverly placed mirrors give the impression that the rider is straddling the tires in the air. This appears to serve as a proof of concept, and construction is underway.
A two-wheeled hoverboard was sacrificed to give the big racing tires a means of propulsion. The sensor-driven electric motor allows forward and reverse operation, and is neatly mounted on one of the enormous footrests that flank the wheels. The video description states it is a legitimate F1 wheel, mounted to a custom made axle and bracket which is then bolted to a custom made steel platform. The video makes the construction look easy, but the axle assembly itself consists of several steel discs that were hand-cut and shaped to fit the motor to the wheel.
With some red paint and some F1-appropriate sponsor stickers, this motorized monowheel looks fantastic, but how does it handle? Given the size of the wheels and all the steel used for construction, the hoverboard motor might be a bit of a burden for this role. The speed seems quite slow, and it takes the rider quite a long time to clean the tires. We suspect shorter fans might struggle to operate everything, but hey, that’s the price for looking good in F1 racing.
This building is not as crazy as a walking Lada or a Chevy Cavalier ice shack. But with winter approaching in the northern regions of the world, expect to see more mad scientist creations to occupy dormant hands.
