The steering box is, among other things, a reduction drive. If you engineer in a steering system that provides fewer input turns for a given degree of wheel turn, then the gear ratio is higher & the steering effort is greater.

Since your car is a racer & you will be running 'fat feet' on the front, the steering load will be greater anyway, but to increase the steering load even further with a higher gearing will impose even higher input loads at the steering wheel rim.

Now, if you use a steering wheel of reduced diameter, & therefore with a reduced rotational leverage on the steering column by virtue of the reduced radius, then the input load at the steering wheel rim rises even further for a given degree of wheel deflection/time.

This will be good for your fitness program & I wonder if you will develop arms like Arnie once had.

I'm reminded of the old addage, ... be carefull of what you wish for, ..............
There are a lot of successfull Datsun 1200 racers that still use the old steering box, ... & for what I presume to be good reason.