Ferrari's new tech brings an authentic Formula 1-style experience to its cars

Ferrari  (RACE)  is known by some to be an impressive sports car manufacturer, while those in the sporting world might know them for their participation and success in Formula 1. 

However, Ferrari's latest patent filing might bring customers with deep pockets closer to the seats of Charles Leclerc or Carlos Sainz in upcoming road cars.

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Ferrari registers a brand new patent, allowing the driver’s seat to be adjusted to left, center, or right positions, with the steering wheel and brake mechanism synchronized for movement. Aside from the option to switch between left-hand and right-hand drive, this also suggests… pic.twitter.com/62XCjKa047— DriveGreenLiveGreen (@DriveGreen80167) February 13, 2024

In a recent patent filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Ferrari has devised a way for drivers to switch the driver's seat position from a traditional left, or right hand drive position, to a center position in the middle of car.

In sketches shared with the patent office, the drivers seat is shown to be on rails, where it could slide laterally between two positions — from the a 'normal' left (or right) side for road driving, to the middle of the car for track driving. In the drawing, the seat and essential cockpit controls such as the steering wheels, pedals and gauge cluster slide along as a unit to wherever in the car it goes. 

However, the sketches omit the presence of a passenger seat or a rear seat. Whether the omission is intentional or not is unknown, but the sketches depict the car as seating a singular person inside. 

The sliding 'central' seat is not a relatively new idea. Audi had a similar setup in its 2018 PB18 e-tron concept car — though it was just a concept car made specifically for the car show at Pebble Beach. 

Ferrari's patent shows that the company may be intending to put such a system in production — after all, many different technological ideas from Formula 1 has made it onto road cars, such as paddle shifters, launch control and electronic differentials.

The Italian marque has toyed around with an actual single-seater road car. In 2018, it began orders for the limited edition Monza SP1 and SP2, which were inspired by its classic road racing cars. The single seater SP1 model was powered by a powerful V12 making 809 horsepower and retailed for a whopping $1.8 million. 

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