Artificial molecular machines are miniaturized versions of macroscopic machines and work by controlling dedicated motions within their molecular structures. Such control needs to be achieved against the equilibrating force of the Brownian motion to allow operation out of equilibrium. In this regard molecular motors stand out as one of the most important sub-types of molecular machines as they convert external energy input into directional motions, which are not canceling out over continuous operation. The first realization of a molecular motor was achieved in 1999 by Feringa, who used the light-driven double bond isomerization of an overcrowded stilbene as energy fueling mechanism. This achievement gave rise inter alia to the Nobel prize in chemistry in 2016. Since then, the development of molecular motors is growing ever steeply and today a large number of different variants with different working mechanisms, energy supplies, and types of motions are available. They include catenane based structures as first developed by Leigh, where rotation of one macrocyclic ring around another proceeds directionally (for selected examples see ), chemically driven variants rotating around a single bond as pioneered again by Feringa, surface bound structures rotating around an axis perpendicular to the surface and energized by electric current, or just recently added electrically driven versions in solution. Further examples include linear molecular motors such as walkers and pumps, which use distinct mechanisms and fuels to achieve a directional linear motion. When it comes to fueling however, simple illumination is particularly attractive because energy can be supplied continuously and precisely dosed, no waste is accumulated during operation, and the energy content of photons is very high. To date, a number of light-driven rotary motor types has been introduced, most eminently overcrowded alkenes from the Feringa group, imine-based motors from Greb and Lehn, and hemithioindigo (HTI)-based systems from our group. More recent additions to light-driven molecular motors inherit biomimetic chromophores or heterocyclic alkenes. Currently, incorporation of light driven molecular motors into larger molecular setups is pursued in order to utilize the work that they can produce and to fulfill a specific task. In this context the active disentanglement of polymer strands, transmission of motor rotation to remote entities, active acceleration of remote passive rotary motions, controlled motor motion restrictions, or energy storage and subsequent triggered reverse motor rotation represent important steps to realize the full potential of molecular motors for driving advanced nanomachinery. Furthermore, disentanglement by molecular motors can be used to shift coupled chemical equilibria in response to strain and motor-powered active molecular threading allows to repeatedly move a molecular string through a macrocycle -a process akin to macroscopic sewing or weaving. The utility of macrocyclization was further employed by our group to evidence unidirectionality in ultra-fast molecular rotary motors in a photochemical way. In larger macrocyclic setups it even becomes possible to control multiple types of motions, such as 360° motor rotation, 180° biaryl rotations, and structural reconfigurations, within the same molecular machine with very high precision. However, in virtually all of these motor systems, a defined chemical bond (double or single bond) represents the actual rotational axis. Light-driven molecular motors possessing a different molecular axis remain an exception so far. In this context, Haberhauer introduced a multi-stimuli molecular motor based on an azobenzene photoswitch connected to a chiral bipyridine clamp. The seminal photon-only molecular motor from our group can be regarded as another example for providing a directional rotation around a virtual axis. In this work we present a different concept to establish directional light-driven motor rotations around a virtual axis. To this end we reprogram the directional rotations of a "classical" HTImolecular motor by aid of a constricting macrocycle (Figure ). In this minimal macrocyclic system, the inherent 360° unidirectional rotation around the double bond axis of the motor is restricted to only 180° within one molecular half-space. However, E/Z and Z/E photoisomerization reactions are thermally ratcheted by intervening atropisomerization reactions, which break symmetry and thus give rise to a resulting unidirectional motion of the macrocyclic linker chain around a virtual axis. As a result, the rotation direction of this macrocyclic motor is not only shifted by about 60° but the rotation direction itself is reversed with respect to the intrinsic rotation direction of the double bond axis. With this concept it is shown how directional molecular rotations can be realized in a completely different way by transforming and restricting the inherent directional motion of a light-driven motor. Further, the resulting four-step motor shows a strong dependence of state stabilities on solvent polarity. Because of this dependence, simple solvent changes transform the molecular motor into a molecular photoswitch and vice versa, giving rise to another level of outside control over the function of this machine. In principle this property can be used deliberately to sense the polarity of the environment in which the machine is working and respond to that environment with a specific function (motor versus switch motions).