Driving gloves

A driving glove is a hand covering, typically constructed of very thin, soft leather, used to give a driver increased control of the vehicle through enhanced grip of the steering wheel and gear stick. The grain present on the leather and the pores present in the leather give the gloves the unique ability to assist the wearer as he or she grips the steering wheel and gear stick. As soft as a leather glove may be, its pores and grain provide a level of friction when "gripped" against an item or surface.

The gloves usually have separate sheaths or openings for each finger and the thumb. They are designed for holding a steering wheel. These gloves also provide a good feel and add comfort to the hands. They fit tight and do not interfere with the hands' movements. The increased grip allows for more control, and increased safety at high speeds.

Driving gloves were originally worn to keep the hands clean when driving a motor car and looked like gauntlets. Early racing cars used steering wheels taken directly from road cars. These wheels were normally made from wood, necessitating the use and development of driving gloves.History of racing driving gloves from well known automotive eras was hand in hand with its design beginning from Silver Arrows through Grand Prix and nowadays & modern gloves.

Driver’s gloves fulfill at least two functions: grip and protection. Although maximum tactility is an obvious starting point for driving gloves, any glove can be marketed as a driver’s glove, and can improve the grip on the steering wheel. Some owners of classic cars still wear driving gloves in order to protect the vintage wooden or ivory steering wheel.

True driving gloves can be identified by the fact that they offer tactile advantages to drivers handling a car near the limits of adhesion. Made of soft leather, drivers gloves are unlined with external seams, which makes them seamless inside so as not to interfere with the sensitivity of the drivers touch on the steering wheel, and subsequently information from where the tire contacts the road.

Driving gloves feature open knuckles and back for maximum flexibility; ventilation to reduce stress on the soft, thin leather; holes punched in fingers and palms for ventilation; short cuffs so as not to restrict movement; and a stud fastener closure on the back for proper fit around the wrist and unobstructed view of the drivers chronograph.

...
Wikipedia