Best Fanatec Wheel 2026: Tested and Ranked

Featured image: Fanatec’s new CSL GT3 wheel

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? Today, I’ll share some opinions, having owned most or all of the options on offer.

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Update May 2026: Fanatec’s steering wheel lineup keeps moving fast. Since the February 2026 update (McLaren GT3 V2 retired, replaced by the unbranded CSL Steering Wheel GT3, plus the new CSL Steering Wheel Flat 1 V2 bundle), three more things have shifted. First, the ClubSport Formula V2.5 was retired in April 2026 and replaced by the new ClubSport Formula V3 (290mm rim, 2.7-inch OLED, QR2 preinstalled). Second, the legacy Podium DD1 and DD2 wheelbases were discontinued and consolidated into a single new Podium DD (25Nm continuous, 33Nm peak overboost, QR2 native) in January 2026 – relevant only because wheel-to-base compatibility is now uniformly QR2 across the active range. Third, the Podium Bentley GT3 wheel finally shipped after a long pre-order wait and now sits alongside the BMW M4 GT3 at the top of the licensed-replica tier. I’ve updated this guide accordingly. Prices on this page are in USD – visit fanatec.com directly for EUR or other currencies, and the live product tables throughout will always show current pricing.

Reader discount — 5% off at Fanatec: use code ZZ-SIMRACINGCOCKPIT at checkout on fanatec.com. Works across the steering wheel range covered below.

Fanatec in 2026 – what changed under Corsair ownership: the Corsair acquisition (completed 2024) settled in properly across 2025. Practical upshot for buyers: 3-year warranty and 30-day return window on all new purchases since June 2025, free shipping across the board, and the clunky old FanaLab + Control Panel software pair was replaced in 2025 by a single unified Fanatec App. The whole ecosystem has also transitioned to QR2 as standard – QR1 is now strictly a second-hand market. Worth knowing if you’re buying new versus picking something up on eBay.

Read on to find out which are our personal favourites from the Fanatec range, or take a look at this video covering their latest releases:

Jump directly to what you’re looking for:
High-End Fanatec Wheels | Fanatec F1 LTD edition wheels | If you can’t find an LTD | ClubSport Formula V3 (new April 2026) | Fanatec Wheels below £500/$500 | CSL Steering Wheel GT3 | ClubSport Porsche 911 GT3 R V2 | Podium BMW M4 GT3 | Podium Bentley GT3 (now shipping) | Podium Button Module Rally | ClubSport F1 Esports V2 | Fanatec Deals on Amazon | CSL Steering Wheel Flat 1 | CSL Flat 1 V2 | Which wheel should I choose?

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High-End Fanatec Wheels

Fanatec F1 LTD edition wheels

This is my Fanatec LTD edition wheel from 2020. It has such nice build quality throughout – these wheels are a step above the standard versions, the build quality feels very high, and it really is a nice bit of kit:

Fanatec only produces a very limited run of these wheels (around 2000 a year) so, they’re actually quite hard to get hold of.

The 2021 edition, pictured below, came out with a few new features, including button framing and thumb encoders that glow in the dark. The revised unit included the podium advanced paddle module (with the F1 dual-clutch), which is a very nice update indeed.

Launched in support of the F1 2020 game from Codemasters, the 2021 limited edition wheel came with a 5mm thick carbon fibre front faceplate (mounted on a carbon-weave backplate). The big selling point of these particular wheels is the simple support offered via the F1 2020 simulator. Up to 67 functions of the F1 2020 game can be adjusted directly via the myriad of buttons (11, with customizable caps), 12-way multi-position switches, thumb encoders, rocker switches and so on. Naturally, you can adjust the FFB tuning on your Fanatec wheelbase – pictured below:

The unit feels very high quality indeed, with gold highlights around the buttons and the Clubsport hub adapter on the back. All of the switches feel 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. The perforated leather grips have a little give, which makes them comfortable to work with. Take a look at the rear of the 2020 F1 wheel as a good indicator of the completeness of the build:

Installation and use

Just like every Fanatec wheel, installation is a doddle. Fit it to your wheelbase, and open the Fanatec wheel properties page. A little dialogue will open (right) asking you to run the firmware updater. Just follow the prompts (it’s super easy) and that’s all you need to do! For a deeper dive into Fanatec firmware and driver update procedures, read this guide.

What if you can’t find the LTD edition Fanatec wheel?

The wheels are readily available on eBay at close to, if not slightly below, the original RRP. So you can pick up a bargain that way.

ClubSport Steering Wheel Formula V3 (new April 2026)

If you’re not keen on second-hand, the current best alternative to the LTD wheels is the new ClubSport Steering Wheel Formula V3. Fanatec retired the previous V2.5 in April 2026 and replaced it with this larger, more capable revision. The headline changes over the V2.5 are a bigger 290mm rim diameter (the V2.5 was 270mm), an upgraded 2.7-inch OLED screen that’s actually large enough to read mid-corner, and the QR2 quick release preinstalled out of the box. The dual-clutch and rotary controls carry across from the V2.5. The Podium Advanced Paddle Module is still a separate optional add-on if you want the F1 LTD-grade magnetic paddle feel.

Note on the V2.5: the ClubSport Formula V2.5 was retired in April 2026 in favour of the V3. If you can find a V2.5 second-hand it’s still an excellent wheel – the build quality was high and the 270mm size is preferred by some Formula drivers – but new stock from Fanatec is gone. eBay is where it lives now.

So what’s the difference between one of the top-flight wheels above and something cheaper?

Fanatec Wheels below £500/$500

Mclaren GT3 V2 wheel

The wheel I think is most worth a look is the McLaren GT3 V2 wheel, which I reviewed previously here. While it has now been discontinued, you might be able to find a bargain on eBay or grab the newer CSL GT3 (featured below).

This wheel is a good 150 Euros cheaper than the Formula V2.5 wheel I’ve discussed above. There are some pretty big differences because of the price point, too. It’s definitely a much cheaper wheel, although that doesn’t necessarily matter.

Firstly, the entire wheel chassis is made from a composite plastic material. It’s very light, but you immediately feel the difference. The paddle shifter behind the unit is one big piece, so if you keep your fingers on both paddles, you’ll always feel an upshift through your downshift finger:

CSL Steering Wheel GT3

Fanatec have since replaced the McLaren GT3 V2 with the unbranded CSL Steering Wheel GT3. It’s the same great wheel concept – a full-size 300mm GT3-style rim with overmoulded grips – minus the McLaren logos. At around $230, it sits at a similar price point and keeps the dual analogue paddles with four switchable modes that made the McLaren version so versatile. If you were considering the McLaren GT3 V2, this is now the one to get.

Clubsport GT Alcantara Wheel V2

Fanatec’s Clubsport GT Alcantara Wheel V2 is a really sturdy GT racing wheel with heaps of assignability for iRacing and Assetto Corsa. I spent hours with this wheel in the Mazda MX5s in iRacing and I don’t regret a single moment of owning it:

The wheel comes 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) and you have the XBOX logo funky switch which makes controlling the iRacing black box very easy.

ClubSport Steering Wheel Porsche 911 GT3 R V2 for Xbox / PC (Suede)

Arguably the most popular category in iRacing is the GT3 class events. VRS Sprint and Endurance are particularly popular and, if you’re an A-class license holder, you can go to the multi-class endurance events too. And what wheel would be ideal for a Porsche 911 GT3 R enthusiast?

The flat-based rim is made from Alcantara suede, with a useful OLED display dash at the top which can be used to show lap times, lap delta, gear, and so on. The wheel is a “full-scale replica” of the Porsche 991 GT3 R wheel, and is constructed as a three-piece item: the rim with a Porsche logo in the centre, the Podium Button Module Endurance, and the ClubSport Universal Hub V2 for Xbox and PC.

The OLED display is fully customisable and offers useful display capabilities through its “Intelligent Telemetry Mode” (ITM). There are RGB LEDs for the RPM and shift indicators and, don’t forget the instant access to force feedback adjustments on your direct drive wheel using the Fanatec Tuning Menu button.

Overall this one’s a really nice piece of kit for the committed Fanatec GT3 champion!

Podium Steering Wheel BMW M4 GT3

A new era begins for racing drivers and sim racers as Fanatec has officially launched the Podium Steering Wheel BMW M4 GT3. The BMW M4 GT3 is a new icon in GT3 class racing – particularly in iRacing it is a highly dominant car and very difficult to match with the right setup.

So, thanks to worldwide unique cooperation between BMW Group Motorsport and Fanatec, in a “world first” they took a brand new steering wheel from a real-world BMW M4 GT3 and mounted it to a Fanatec DD wheelbase. Astonishing stuff.

The wheel itself retails at €1499.00 so it’s really not inexpensive. It is however a genuine replica of the real thing; so again, if you’re a hardcore BMW fan, this is the wheel for you.

Podium Steering Wheel Bentley GT3

The other licensed-replica heavyweight in Fanatec’s lineup sits alongside the BMW M4 GT3: the Podium Steering Wheel Bentley GT3. This one had a notoriously long pre-order wait but finally shipped in proper volume during 2025, and it now lives permanently at the top of Fanatec’s GT3 licensed range. Same Podium-tier build approach as the BMW M4 GT3 – replica of the real-world Bentley Continental GT3 wheel, full carbon fibre construction, top-tier OLED, premium paddle module – just with the Bentley badge and the Continental’s distinctive grip shape rather than the M4’s. If the BMW isn’t your favourite GT3 car or you simply prefer Bentley’s marque history in endurance racing, this is the one.

Like the BMW, this is unapologetically high-end. The BMW M4 GT3 and Podium Bentley GT3 sit in roughly the same price bracket – both around the €1,500 mark – and the choice between them is mostly down to which car you actually want to race rather than which wheel is the “better” object. Both are excellent.

Podium Button Module Rally

The Fanatec Podium Button Module Rally is a high-performance sim racing button box designed in collaboration with the M-Sport World Rally Team for the 2022 Ford Puma Hybrid Rally1 WRC car.

This is the design that played a role in Sébastien Loeb’s victory at the 2022 Monte Carlo Rally. Fanatec’s interpretation os the very same button box is a lightweight, feature-rich module that boasts a carbon fibre front plate, programmable RGB backlit buttons, two D-pads, three 12-way switches, and a 1″ OLED display for telemetry data (and FFB setup).

It’s optimised for rally simulation but works for various driving disciplines, and it’s compatible with most Fanatec wheel rims using the usual six-hole 70mm PCD pattern.

ClubSport Steering Wheel F1® Esports V2

This 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. Inexpensive, and compatible with all Fanatec direct drive wheelbases. It’s reasonably priced at €269.95 and was, in fact, my first Fanatec sim steering wheel!

Celebrating Fanatec’s partnership with Formula 1™ (who provide official support for the F1® Esports Series), this wheel is designed for driving Formula-style cars at the limit. The V2 revision comes with magnetic shifters, customisable RGB LEDs, revised electronics, and an exchangeable QR system. A real Fanatec favourite this one!

Fanatec Deals on Amazon

CSL Steering Wheel Flat 1

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. This wheel is priced at the lower end of Fanatec’s wheel range and consists of the following components – the CSL Universal Hub and the rim itself, the ClubSport Wheel Rim Flat 1.

This is a remarkably lightweight wheel with a smaller diameter of 275mm (Turn Racing’s R305 is 305mm which I found ideal for my adult, medium-sized hands).

The shape of the rim and its “go-kart” size makes this wheel perfect for formula and GT-style racing, perhaps added as part of a budget simulator build

The “Flat 1” rim is manufactured in brushed/anodised aluminium and the rim edges are covered in genuine suede leather.

There are plenty of buttons (as you can see from the image above) and, as you would expect from Fanatec, you can tune aspects of the direct drive wheelbase on the fly too.

CSL Steering Wheel Flat 1 V2

Fanatec now sell a complete V2 package that bundles the Flat 1 rim with the improved CSL Universal Hub V2. At $264.99 it’s a straightforward upgrade over the original – you get the same compact 275mm brushed aluminium rim and genuine suede grips, but paired with the newer hub that brings better electronics and the QR2 Lite mounting system. If you’re buying new, this is the version to go for.

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.

I’ve had huge amounts of fun with the GT Alcantara rim, so if a bigger budget Fanatec Formula rim isn’t an option, I’d definitely go for a more GT-style wheel like the Alcantara V2. If you’re on a really high budget, take a look at our guide to sim racing wheels here.

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Topic: Sim Racing Wheels