Best Fanatec Wheel 2026: Tested and Ranked

Featured image: a line-up of Fanatec steering wheels

As a Fanatec owner, there’s a huge ecosystem of upgrades to choose from. Their steering wheel range, in particular, is quite extensive. But which Fanatec wheel is the best? When I first wrote this in 2021, I shared some opinions having owned more or less every one on offer at the time.

Quite a lot has changed since then. Fanatec is owned by Corsair now, and every wheel and base in the range runs on QR2, Fanatec’s quick release. The ClubSport Formula V3 has taken over from the regular Formula V2.5, and the McLaren GT3 V2 I had is no longer on Fanatec’s store. Its old product page now sends you to the CSL Steering Wheel GT3. So the picks below mix the wheels I owned with the ones Fanatec sells today.

Fanatec discount code: use SIMRACINGCOCKPIT5 at checkout for 5% off at fanatec.com.

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Picks at a glance | Wheels, bases and consoles | ClubSport Formula V3 | F1 LTD edition wheels | F1 Esports V2 | CSL Steering Wheel GT3 | GT Alcantara V2 | Porsche 911 GT3 R V2 | BMW M4 GT3 and Bentley GT3 | Flat 1 V2 and Rally | PS5 and GT7 | Which wheel should I choose?

My picks at a glance

If you race Formula cars, start with the Formula V3, or the ClubSport Steering Wheel F1 Esports V2 if you’d rather spend less. For GT racing on a budget, the CSL GT3 is the easy choice, and the ClubSport GT Alcantara V2 is the GT wheel I’d go for myself. The licensed flagships are the Podium Steering Wheel BMW M4 GT3 and the Podium Steering Wheel Bentley GT3. If you’re on a PlayStation playing Gran Turismo 7, Fanatec calls the CSL Elite Steering Wheel Porsche Vision GT ideal for it. They’re all in the table below.

Wheel	Best for	Diameter	Display	Paddles	Quick release	Platforms	Buy
ClubSport Formula V3	Formula	290 mm	2.7″ OLED	Magnetic (clutch with the Podium Advanced Paddle Module)	QR2	PC, PlayStation via a licensed base	Check price
ClubSport F1 Esports V2	Formula on a budget	270 mm	LED display	Magnetic	QR2 (packaged separately)	PC, PlayStation via a licensed base	Check price
CSL Steering Wheel GT3	GT on a budget	300 mm	1″ OLED	Magnetic, plus two analogue	QR2 Lite	Xbox, PC, PlayStation via a licensed base	Check price
ClubSport GT Alcantara V2	GT, for keeps	330 mm	LED display	Magnetic	QR2 (packaged separately)	PC, PlayStation via a licensed base (Xbox version sold)	Check price
ClubSport Porsche 911 GT3 R V2 for Xbox	GT3 on Xbox	320 mm	2.7″ OLED	Magnetic	QR2	Xbox, PC, PlayStation via a licensed base	Check price
Podium BMW M4 GT3	The real car’s wheel	308 mm	1″ OLED	Magnetic, plus two analogue clutch	QR2 Pro	PC, PlayStation via a licensed base	Check price
Podium Bentley GT3	A big touchscreen	310 mm	3.4″ touchscreen	Four magnetic, plus two analogue clutch	QR2 Pro	PC, PlayStation via a licensed base	Check price
CSL Steering Wheel Flat 1 V2	Compact, for beginners	275 mm	LED display	Width-adjustable	QR2 Lite	PC, PlayStation via a licensed base	Check price
CSL Elite Porsche Vision GT	Gran Turismo 7	310 mm	OLED	Magnetic	QR2 Lite	PC, PlayStation via a licensed base	Check price

How Fanatec wheels, bases and consoles fit together

Generally, if you buy a Fanatec sim racing wheel, it’s designed to be solely compatible with a Fanatec wheelbase. Fanatec does now sell its own Wheel Hub, which lets a third-party rim on a 6×70 or 6×50.8 mm pattern go on a Fanatec base. A QR2 wheel won’t fit an older QR1 base. Fanatec’s direct drive wheelbases start with the CSL DD at 5 Nm, or 8 Nm with the Boost Kit 180, and the GT DD Pro at 8 Nm. Since firmware V1.4.2.3 in May 2026 the ClubSport DD is 15 Nm and the ClubSport DD+ is 18 Nm, and the Podium DD sits at the top with 25 Nm.

QR2 Lite is the version that comes on the CSL GT3, the Flat 1 V2 and the Vision GT, and Fanatec still recommends the metal QR2 or QR2 Pro. On the ClubSport DD, the ClubSport DD+ and the Podium DD, a QR2 Lite wheel is limited to 8 Nm unless Fanatec has certified that wheel for full torque. All three of those QR2 Lite wheels are cleared for full torque, along with the F1 Esports V2, the McLaren GT3 V2 and any other wheel on the CSL Universal Hub V2. The CSL Steering Wheel P1 V2, the CSL Elite WRC, the CSL BMW and the Steering Wheel for Gran Turismo DD Pro stay at 8 Nm.

Consoles work differently, because an Xbox licence lives in the wheel and a PlayStation licence lives in the base. So an Xbox-licensed wheel makes any Fanatec base work on an Xbox. On a PlayStation it’s the base that counts, and any wheel works as long as it’s fitted to a ClubSport DD+ or a GT DD Pro, the only two PlayStation bases. The CSL DD, the ClubSport DD and the Podium DD can’t be used on a PlayStation at all. Everything works on a PC, and there’s more on the bases themselves in our Fanatec buyer’s guide.

ClubSport Formula V3 – the best Fanatec Formula wheel

The ClubSport Formula V3 launched on 28 April 2026 and replaced the regular Formula V2.5, which Fanatec has now discontinued. The rim is 290 mm across, up from 270 mm on the V2.5, and the screen has grown from a 1-inch OLED to a 2.7-inch white one with five layouts. The 9 RGB rev LEDs and 6 flag LEDs sit above the screen.

There are 11 face buttons, two 7-way FunkySwitches, three 12-way rotaries and two thumb rotaries that you can push. The front plate is 5 mm carbon, the leather grips are user-replaceable, and it weighs about 1,350 g with QR2 already fitted. The shift paddles are magnetic, but there are no clutch paddles in the box. For dual analogue clutch paddles you’d add the Podium Advanced Paddle Module.

Reviewers on YouTube are split on the Formula V3. Danny Lee makes it the default Fanatec pick, although he calls the monochrome screen flaky and says not to buy it for the screen. OC Racing finds the screen decently functional but can’t easily recommend the V3 over the Moza KS Pro, the Simagic GT Neo or the CONSPIT 290GP at the price. If you race on an Xbox, the Formula option is still the Xbox-licensed Formula V2.5 X, because the V3 isn’t Xbox compatible.

The Fanatec F1 LTD edition wheels

This was my Fanatec F1 LTD edition wheel from 2020. It had such nice build quality throughout – these wheels are a step above the standard versions, and it really was a nice bit of kit.

The F1 LTD wheels are limited editions, and they aren’t sold new any more. Fanatec has made several F1-licensed limited editions on the Formula V2 and V2.5 since its Formula 1 partnership began in 2018.

All of the switches felt very certain and high quality, with my only complaint being the rubber boots on the toggle switches, as one came off and disappeared into the box when I was unpacking it! That was, of course, very easily fixed. The carbon fibre has a lovely texture that catches the light, and the perforated leather grips have a little give, which makes them comfortable to work with. The rear, below, is a good indicator of the completeness of the build.

Just like every Fanatec wheel, installation is a doddle. Fit it to your wheelbase and run the firmware update. Just follow the prompts (it’s super easy) and that’s all you need to do. The Fanatec App has replaced the old driver now. For a deeper dive, here’s how to update your Fanatec driver and firmware. Back in 2021, the wheels were readily available on eBay at close to, if not slightly below, the original RRP, and second-hand is the only way to get one now.

ClubSport F1 Esports V2 – the best value Formula wheel

The ClubSport Steering Wheel F1 Esports V2 is a classic, no frills but incredibly durable and stiff Formula wheel from Fanatec. It has seen several iterations from its original design, but the basis is still very much there. It was, in fact, my first Fanatec sim steering wheel!

It’s officially licensed by Formula 1, with a 270 mm metal rim, Alcantara grips, 11 buttons and a blue LED display. There are two vibration motors in the grips, and the magnetic paddles can be upgraded to the ClubSport or Podium paddle modules. The QR2 wheel-side is packaged separately, and the F1 Esports V2 runs full torque on QR2 Lite as well. A real Fanatec favourite this one! For more Formula options, have a look at the best F1 wheels for sim racing.

CSL Steering Wheel GT3 – the best budget GT wheel

The CSL Steering Wheel GT3 replaced the McLaren GT3 V2 in late 2025. It’s the same wheel with the McLaren branding gone, and Fanatec calls it “a returning favorite”.

The rim is 300 mm with overmoulded rubber grips on a carbon-fibre-reinforced composite body, and it weighs 1,290 g. Behind it are magnetic rocker-type shift paddles, so either hand can shift up and down. Under those sit two analogue paddles, which you can set up as clutch paddles, as a clutch and a handbrake, as brake and throttle, or as an axis you map yourself. There’s a 1-inch OLED in the middle. It comes on QR2 Lite and runs full torque. It’s licensed for Xbox too, so it works on an Xbox as well as a PC.

The McLaren GT3 V2 it replaced

The McLaren GT3 V2 was a close copy of the actual wheel found in the McLaren GT3 racing car. The entire chassis was made from a composite plastic material. It was very light, but you immediately felt the difference.

The paddle shifter behind it was actually one big piece, so if you keep your fingers on both paddles you’ll always feel an upshift through your downshift finger. Overall, for the budget, it was a really nice wheel, it looked the part, and in my McLaren GT3 V2 review I really enjoyed using it. It sat at the lower end of the Fanatec wheel range, but back in 2021 it still knocked the socks off most competition.

ClubSport GT Alcantara V2 – my pick for GT racing

The ClubSport GT Alcantara V2 is a really sturdy GT racing wheel with heaps of assignability for iRacing and Assetto Corsa. This was my trusty Fanatec GT Alcantara wheel. I spent hours with it in the Mazda MX5s in iRacing and I don’t regret a single moment of owning it.

Mine came with the ClubSport Universal Hub V2 for Xbox, which gives you a bunch of momentary push buttons (for headlight flashing, pit lane speed limiting, and so on). It also had the Xbox logo funky switch, which made controlling the iRacing black box very easy.

The current GT Alcantara V2 has a 330 mm three-spoke aluminium rim with an Alcantara grip, and its ClubSport Universal Hub V2 carries 16 buttons, a 7-way FunkySwitch and a three-digit LED display. The ClubSport Magnetic Paddle Module comes fitted, and you can upgrade it to the Podium Advanced Paddle Module later on. The standard version has the QR2 wheel-side packaged separately, and there’s still an Xbox version like mine on sale.

ClubSport Porsche 911 GT3 R V2 – the Xbox GT3 wheel

Arguably the most popular category in iRacing is the GT3 class events. And what wheel would be ideal for a Porsche 911 GT3 R enthusiast? The ClubSport Steering Wheel Porsche 911 GT3 R V2 for Xbox is a replica of the Porsche 911 GT3 R wheel, and it’s built in three pieces: the rim, the Podium Button Module Endurance and the ClubSport Universal Hub V2 for Xbox.

The rim is 320 mm and trimmed in suede. The Podium Button Module Endurance in the middle carries a 2.7-inch OLED running Fanatec’s Intelligent Telemetry Mode (ITM), with 9 RGB rev LEDs and 6 flag LEDs above it. It uses the ClubSport Magnetic Paddle Module and QR2, and as the Xbox version, the 911 GT3 R V2 makes any Fanatec base Xbox compatible. There’s a Podium version on the Podium hub as well. Overall this one’s a really nice piece of kit for the committed Fanatec GT3 champion!

The Podium flagships: BMW M4 GT3 and Bentley GT3

Fanatec and BMW M Motorsport took the wheel from the real BMW M4 GT3 race car and made it work on a Fanatec base. Astonishing stuff. It’s built to FIA standards for the 2022 car, and it can talk to the real car over CAN bus.

It’s 308 mm across, with an eight-layer carbon body in a forged carbon finish, and it weighs about 1,700 g. There are 14 RGB buttons and three 12-way switches, the BMW logo doubles as a 4-way D-pad, and a 1-inch OLED sits in the middle. On the back there are dual-action magnetic shifters and two analogue clutch paddles, and it runs on QR2 Pro. It isn’t Xbox compatible, and it’s the dearer of the two Podium flagships. It is however a genuine replica of the real thing, so if you’re a hardcore BMW fan, this is the wheel for you.

Podium Steering Wheel Bentley GT3

The Bentley GT3 was developed with Bentley Motors for the real Continental GT3 Pikes Peak race car, and it’s officially licensed. It’s 310 mm with Alcantara grips, a magnesium alloy core and a 5 mm carbon plate. The screen is a 3.4-inch 800×800 touchscreen, and on a USB-powered desk or wall mount the Bentley GT3 doubles as a clock or a track-mode display.

There are four magnetic paddles plus two analogue clutch paddles, it runs on QR2 Pro and weighs about 1,900 g, and a travel case comes in the box. Next to the BMW M4 GT3, the big difference is the screen, a 3.4-inch touchscreen against the BMW’s 1-inch OLED. After that, it’s down to which car you’d rather be driving.

CSL Steering Wheel Flat 1 V2 and the Rally button module

The CSL series from Fanatec is considered the “entry-level” range if you will. But frankly, it’s a really good piece of kit, especially for beginners. The CSL Steering Wheel Flat 1 V2 pairs the Flat 1 rim with the CSL Universal Hub V2, and its “go-kart” size makes it a good fit for formula and GT-style racing. It’s a smaller rim at 275 mm (the Turn Racing R305 is 305 mm, which I found ideal for my adult, medium-sized hands).

The Flat 1 V2’s rim is aluminium with suede, and the hub has metal bracing, revised paddles, 8 buttons, a 7-way FunkySwitch and a three-digit LED display. The hub will also take third-party rims on a 6×70 mm pattern. It’s on QR2 Lite, and it runs full torque on the stronger bases.

Podium Button Module Rally

The Podium Button Module Rally is an official M-Sport World Rally Team product, designed for the 2022 and 2023 Ford Puma Hybrid Rally1 WRC cars. It’s a button module and not a wheel, so to use it for rallying in the sim you’ll need a Podium Hub or a ClubSport Universal Hub V2, and a rim to go on the front. It has nine RGB buttons, two D-pads, three 12-way switches and a 1-inch OLED, with an aluminium adapter ring for 6×70 mm rims, and it weighs 280 g.

Fanatec wheels for PS5 and Gran Turismo 7

On a PS5 you choose the base first, a ClubSport DD+ or a GT DD Pro, and after that any Fanatec wheel will work on it, even an Xbox-licensed one. The Vision GT is the wheel Fanatec pitches at Gran Turismo 7. It’s a 310 mm cast aluminium rim with magnetic shifters, an OLED and seven rotary encoders, and it runs full torque on QR2 Lite.

The GT DD Pro bundles come with the Steering Wheel for Gran Turismo DD Pro, which Fanatec designed with Polyphony Digital, and it stays locked to 8 Nm if you move it to one of the stronger bases. So if GT7 is your main game and you might upgrade the base later, the Vision GT is the one to have. If you’re open to other brands, our guide to the best PS5 steering wheels has the rest of the field.

Which wheel should I choose?

Personally, I don’t think you have to spend a lot on the wheel if you’re on a budget. Critical areas of spending are more about your cockpit and the direct drive wheelbase. Money spent there means you don’t have to make expensive upgrades down the line. A wheel is far more easily replaced and if looked after well, can be resold on eBay at upgrade time. If you’re still choosing a rig, have a look at the best sim racing cockpits first.

I’ve had huge amounts of fun with the GT Alcantara rim, so if you’d rather a GT-style wheel than a Formula rim, I’d definitely go for the Alcantara V2. If you’re on a really high budget, take a look at our guide to sim racing wheels. Whichever one you go for, have fun with it!

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Topic: Sim Racing Wheels