This guide looks at the best F1 cockpits, seats & sim rigs for sim racing in 2024. These F1 cockpits are specifically designed to replicate an F1 driving position when sim racing.
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Racing drivers who race F1 cars do say almost laying down. This is due to the low nature of an F1 car, and it is a seating position which is extremely unique to Formula 1. To best replicate this driving position when sim racing, there are F1 cockpits available. These F1 cockpits replicate a similar laying driving position when compared to more traditional sim rigs where you sit more upright.
In this ultimate guide, I’m going to run through what makes an F1 sim racing cockpit different to a regular sim rig. And I’ll show you the best F1 cockpits for sim racing across a wide range of budgets.
All of the products that I’ll mention feature an F1-style seating position to some degree, with some replicating this better than others. I’ll also show a range of F1 cockpits across a range of different budgets. This ensures that no matter your budget, there is an F1 cockpit solution for you.
An F1 sim racing cockpit differs from a regular sim racing rig or cockpit by emulating the reclined driving position of a Formula 1 car.
Most sim racing rigs and cockpits feature an upright seating position, much like a regular car. This is because the majority of real-world motorsports utilise a similar upright driving position.
Some forms of motorsport such as LMP1 Prototype cars also feature a reclined seating position, but Formula 1 is where the drivers are most reclined while driving. This is due to the cars being incredibly low to the ground.
Below you can see Mercedes F1 driver Lewis Hamilton showing the driving position that he uses when racing.
Rather than sitting in a seat at a regular 90-degree angle like you would in a road car or GT car, F1 drivers are almost laying down. The drivers still have a bend at their hips of around 100 degrees, but the seat is so reclined that a lot of the weight and pressure is on an F1 driver’s back.
This position places the pedals and the driver’s feet horizontally level with their shoulders. During an F1 race, this seating position can put some strain on a driver’s back, which is increased immensely by porpoising which the 2022 F1 cars suffered from a lot.
However, when sim racing in a reclined F1-style seating position using an F1 sim racing cockpit, it can be an incredibly comfy way to race.
There is an extremely wide range of sim racing cockpits that get close to emulating a real F1 seating position. Many of these sim rigs offer an all-in-one cockpit solution. This involves the cockpit featuring everything you need in one design, from the chassis to the racing seat.
Other sim rigs on this list utilise an 8020 aluminium profile design. These sim rigs offer more flexibility and customisation at the expense of potentially reducing the extreme driving position angles that the all-in-one cockpits offer.
Below are all of the sim racing cockpits that I’m going to look at in this guide. Click any of the links below to scroll down to the relevant section.
If you don’t have too much time to read through this entire guide, I’ll show you my top 3 recommendations for the best F1 cockpit here. These three sim racing cockpits all offer something different and also differ in cost.
Best Budget Cockpit NLR F-GT Cockpit | Best For Immersion Playseat Formula | Best 80/20 F1 Rig NLR F-GT Elite |
 |  |  |
STYLE All-in-one sim rig | STYLE All-in-one sim rig | STYLE 80/20 sim rig |
PRICE €/$450 | PRICE €/$975 | PRICE From €/$1000 |
All-in-one F1 cockpits are fantastic for sim racing as they include everything you need to start sim racing. You will have platforms built in to mount your racing wheel and pedals to. But most all-in-one sim rigs include the chassis and racing seat.
The Playseat Formula is one of the most popular F1 sim racing cockpits. Playseat has worked alongside various Formula 1 teams to design their Formula cockpit.
It represents the true Formula 1 driving position with a design that replicates the correct angles that a Formula 1 driver would sit.
The frame itself is a zero flex option meaning that even with powerful direct drive wheel bases, the frame itself shouldn’t flex or warp. This is important to prevent force feedback from being lost or muddied by a frame which shakes.
Despite the frame being specifically designed to replicate the F1 driving position, there is still adjustability to ensure your seating and pedal position is comfortable for a variety of body sizes.
Both the wheel plate and the pedal plate come pre-drilled to ensure compatibility with all major steering wheel and pedals such as those from Fanatec, Thrustmaster, Logitech and more.
You can pick up the Playseat Formula in a range of designs, including a Mercedes AMG and Red Bull Racing livery.
Racing Cockpit – Playseat Formula
Compatibility – PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox Series X|S
Price – €/$975
Where to buy – Buy Playseat Formula
If you have a slightly larger budget than the cost of the Playseat Formula and fancied opting for a more premium F1 cockpit solution. Playseat also offers a second F1 cockpit called the Playseat Formula Intelligence.
The Formula Intelligence cockpit is the same sim rig which some Formula 1 drivers use. Valterri Bottas has been seen practising on his own Formula Intelligence when he gets downtime during the season.
Much like the Playseat Formula, the Intelligence cockpit also replicates the correct F1 driving position, however, it does so with an enclosed cockpit design.
The chassis used on this sim rig features an aluminium tubular frame ensuring the maximum amount of rigidity. This cockpit is even stronger and flex-free than the Playseat Formula that we have just looked at.
One of the additional benefits of this sim rig over the previous Playseat sim rig is additional adjustability. You can change the driving position much more on the Formula Intelligence allowing you to replicate the driving position from various motorsport series.
You can adjust the seating position to match that of F1, IndyCar, F2, F3, LeMans LMP1 and more. And much like the previous Playseat F1 cockpit, you can also get this cockpit in a Mercedes AMG or Red Bull Racing branded livery.
Racing Cockpit – Playseat Formula Intelligence
Compatibility – PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox Series X|S
Price – €/$1999
Where to buy – Buy Playseat Formula Intelligence
Sparco isn’t a company that is known for their sim rigs despite offering a few options across the past few years. However, they are a company that goes hand in hand with all forms of motorsport, being one of the biggest motorsport product designers around.
They offer a few different sim rigs, but the one that stands out for F1 sim racers is the Evolve GT cockpit.
The Evolve GP cockpit features a Sparco F1-style racing seat constructed from fibreglass, along with a fully adjustable cockpit design. Both the racing wheel mount and pedal plate are fully adjustable to ensure you can find the comfiest seating position.
One of the unique features of this F1-style sim rig, other than the Sparco branded racing seat, is that the cockpit features a monitor mount as standard.
Most sim rigs offer monitor mounts as additional accessories, and they can cost a lot for a sturdy solution. The chassis on the Sparco Evolve GP cockpit is fully integrated with the monitor mount ensuring a good amount of stability.
This F1 cockpit solution has one of the nicest racing seats of any sim rig on this list, but if you don’t fancy this sim rig, the good news is the racing seat is available to purchase individually.
Racing Cockpit – Sparco Evolve GP
Compatibility – PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox Series X|S
Price – €/$1099
Where to buy – Buy from UpShift
The RSeat Formula V2 cockpit is one of the sim racing cockpits which has taken its design inspiration directly from a Formula 1 car. So much so that the front design of the cockpit features an F1 nose design.
This design choice makes the cockpit look incredibly aggressive and fit for purpose when viewed from the front. This is a nice change from the often similar metal design that most sim rigs utilise.
The F1 nose design also serves as a platform for the sim racing pedals to be mounted to. This is a neat solution to avoid suspending them too high in the air which can sometimes result in flex.
The rest of the chassis is laser cut from carbon steel to ensure rigidity when using high-performing racing wheels and sim racing pedals.
There’s a lot of adjustability throughout this sim rig. You can adjust the position of the pedal plate and the wheel mount. And you can also change the recline angle of the racing seat.
There are also a variety of upgrades available should you want to add to your immersions in the future. You can mount Buttkickers, speakers, shifters, monitors and keyboard trays directly to this cockpit.
This F1 cockpit is a unique solution from a well-known sim racing rig brand, and its design certainly allows it to stand out from the competition.
Racing Cockpit – RSeat Formula V2
Compatibility – PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox Series X|S
Price – €/$1299
Where to buy – Buy from UpShift
The Next Level Racing F-GT sim racing cockpit is a unique sim rig in this list, as it can completely transform to accommodate a range of different seating positions.
You can lower or raise the frame of the cockpit to give you a Formula 1 seating position or a more upright GT-style seating position.
This transformation makes it an ideal cockpit for a sim racer who often races different sim racing games. If you often switch between games such as F1 22 and ACC or iRacing, you can relatively easily change your driving position to match the style of car you are driving.
The F-GT cockpit is also a relatively budget sim racing cockpit solution. It comes in as one of the lowest-cost sim rigs on this list, making it much more accessible than some of the other options.
When the seat is lowered to the floor, and the pedals are raised, the F-GT cockpit provides a pretty accurate Formula 1 seating position, much like many of the other sim rigs on this list.
Due to the design of this transforming sim rig, there is a tonne of built-in adjustability. You can raise or lower the pedal plate and the racing seat. Then you can also adjust the height of the racing wheel mount, and change the angle of your pedals and wheel.
If you are after a budget-friendly F1 cockpit with almost endless customisation and adjustability, the Next Level Racing F-GT may be perfect for you.
Racing Cockpit – Next Level Racing F-GT Cockpit
Compatibility – PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox Series X|S
Price – €/$450
Where to buy – Buy NLR F-GT
Going one step further in the budget-orientated mindset is the F-GT Lite sim racing cockpit. This cockpit is also designed by Australian sim rig manufacturer Next Level Racing.
Much like the F-GT above, this cockpit is a much more lightweight design, with an incredibly small form factor.
This F-GT Lite cockpit also features a transforming design, much like the bigger F-GT. You can lower the rear of the seat and raise the pedals to emulate a Formula 1 seating position.
The F-GT Lite cockpit features a frame which is capable of withstanding 150kg of force, however, the streamlined design isn’t overly suited to direct drive racing wheels or hydraulic pedals.
Instead, this cockpit is ideal for those with a small budget, or those lacking in floor space. The added party trick of the F-GT Lite is that it can be completely folded up and stored away, much like a wheel stand.
I wouldn’t recommend purchasing this cockpit if you are planning on running an extremely high-performing sim racing wheel, or if you plan on expanding your cockpit to include additional peripherals. But it is ideal for those on a small budget who are looking to race F1 22 in a realistic driving position.
Racing Cockpit – Next Level Racing F-GT Lite Cockpit
Compatibility – PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox Series X|S
Price – €/$250
Where to buy – Buy NLR F-GT Lite
The OverPower Formula cockpit offers a much more enclosed design than others on this list. This design approach allows you to feel like you are climbing into a real car every time you get in. And it also serves to hide a lot of the metal framework that has been used.
This is a very unique design that makes this F1 cockpit look a little bulky, despite not really taking up much more room than any other sim rig. It is a bold design that many will love and some won’t like as much.
When it comes to adjustability though, this cockpit offers just as much as others that we’ve discussed. You can change the distance to the pedal rack as well as the height and angle.
There is also a lot of adjustability in the wheel mounting plate and you can make quick adjustments to the seat position thanks to a series of adjustment levers.
While the design may be a little like marmite, either loved or hated, the OverPower Formula is an F1 cockpit solution that performs as well as the best in this guide.
With the bright colourways on offer such as red, white and neon yellow, this cockpit will certainly be a statement piece of furniture when assembled as your daily sim rig.
Racing Cockpit – OverPower Formula
Compatibility – PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox Series X|S
Price – €/$1299
Where to buy – Buy from Overpower
If you are in the market for a premium F1 cockpit that looks incredibly aggressive, check out this Bernax cockpit.
The Bernax cockpit simulator features one of the most unique sim rig designs on the market. The design allows you to sit fully enclosed, much like you would in a real-world race car.
This also means you would have to climb over the chassis and into the cockpit. This could be slightly awkward for those who are used to sliding into a sim rig from the side with minimal effort.
But once you are inside, the experience of sitting in an enclosed cockpit is about as close as you can get to sitting in a real-world open-wheeled car.
The cockpit chassis is designed in a way to allow the whole chassis to extend or contract to allow sim racers of different heights to feel comfortable.
You can also customise other areas of the cockpit, including the mounting positions. And if you contact Bernax when purchasing, they can wrap the cockpit in your own livery, allowing you to have a fully branded sim racing cockpit.
The Bernax Simulator is an incredibly unique sim racing cockpit, like no other. But it offers an experience about as close to stepping into a real race car as you can get without leaving your house.
Racing Cockpit – Bernax Cockpit Simulator
Compatibility – PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox Series X|S
Price – From €/$3750
Where to buy – Buy from Bernax
We had to include this option, as it is quite possibly the highest-spec F1 simulator you can buy today. In fact, this Pro-Sim Formula Evolution cockpit was designed by F1 driver Lando Norris himself.
Every part of this F1 cockpit has been designed to perform at the highest level, with the highest levels of immersion possible. Other F1 drivers including Alex Albon also have this cockpit in their houses.
There is no denying that the Pro-Sime Formula Evolution is an extremely high-end cockpit solution. And it is out of the budget of 99% of sim racers.
But we have to include it in this guide, to show you just what the professionals are using in their own sim racing setups.
Racing Cockpit – Pro-Sim Formula Evolution
Compatibility – PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox Series X|S
Price – €/$25,550
Where to buy – Buy from Pro-Sim
Next I’ll take a look at a set of sim rigs which are often referred to as 8020 rigs. This is a reference to the size of the aluminium profile that is used in their construction. Despite the name, many of these sim rigs actually utilise aluminium extrusion which is much larger than 80x20mm.
These aluminium profile sim rigs offer much higher levels of customisation than an all-in-one solution. You can mount many parts of the chassis in a completely bespoke position to create a solution that is perfectly fit for your driving position.
One of the major downsides of an 8020 sim rig is that there is often a lot of chunky aluminium on show. This can make the chassis look bulky or unsightly, however many sim racers do even prefer this look to an all-in-one designed cockpit.
Often the trade-off of being able to attach almost any peripheral to an 8020 rig outweighs the aesthetics and design of the rig itself.
Next Level Racing has increasingly increased its presence in the world of 8020 sim rigs by releasing more and more 8020 products.
The original sim rig is the NLR F-GT Elite sim rig. This sim rig features a lot of characteristics from regular 8020 cockpit designs but is distinctive in its unusual swooped back upright design.
There are also a set of huge pedal plate mounting brackets which serve to allow you to raise the pedals right up to emulate an F1-style seating position.
You can also lower the seat and recline it back to bring your shoulders in line with your feet, in effect creating the ideal F1 seating position.
This level of adjustability isn’t often found on many sim rigs, which makes the NLR F-GT Elite stand out from other 8020 sim rigs for F1 sim racers.
Being an aluminium profile sim rig, you also get all of the benefits of this style of cockpit. You can mount practically any peripheral to the frame. And you have a world of adjustability in the positioning and angles of your seat, wheel and pedals.
Racing Cockpit – Next Level Racing F-GT Elite
Compatibility – PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox Series X|S
Price – From €/$1000
Where to buy – Buy NLR F-GT Elite
Treq might not be the first name you think of when it comes to sim racing equipment, but they do offer a range of sim rigs and accessories.
The Treq Formula is the cockpit that is designed to most closely replicate an F1 sim racing experience. It utilises 80/20 aluminium profile to create a unique-looking sim rig.
The first thing you’ll notice is that the pedal plate is raised up and actually floating off the ground. This design choice is designed to emulate the reclined seating position that F1 sim racers are aiming for.
It also frees up a lot of ground space that can be used to store other things. You could position your gaming PC under the pedals, or use it as an area to manage your cables and accessories.
The racing seat that is included is a bespoke design constructed from black powder-coated steel and aluminium. On the front-facing part of the seat is cushioned with thick padding to form a comfortable seat to spend hours sim racing.
The wheel plate is pre-drilled to allow you to mount almost any sim racing wheel including direct drive racing wheels from brands such as Fanatec and Logitech.
At the end of the sim rig, the pedal mounting solution doesn’t feature a traditional pedal plate. Instead, Treq has opted for using various strips of aluminium profile to give you greater control over how you mount your sim racing pedals.
Racing Cockpit – Treq Formula
Compatibility – PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox Series X|S
Price – From €/$995
Where to buy – Buy from Treq
The SRC-FX cockpit from Sim Race Components is tailor-made to be an aluminium profile rig designed specifically for racing in a formula-style racing position.
This solution is constructed from 45x135mm and 45x90mm aluminium profiles and features an elevated pedal plate which is the main component that allows this sim rig to be configured as an F1 cockpit.
You can raise or lower the pedal plate, and adjust the angle to find the perfect position. When raised to the top of the mounts and angled down, they replicate a formula position pretty closely.
When paired with either the X1 Carbon seat or the Sparco GP seat, this sim rig allows you to have a fully reclined seating position.
Racing Cockpit – SRC-FX Cockpit
Compatibility – PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox Series X|S
Price – From €/$1099
Where to buy – Buy from SRC
If none of the F1 cockpit solutions above tickles your fancy, you can opt to construct your very own DIY sim rig.
An F1 cockpit can be built from almost any material, as long as it is rigid enough to prevent flex and vibrations from your racing wheel. The stronger your racing wheel, the sturdier your DIY sim rig will need to be.
Popular materials to build a DIY cockpit include wood, steel or aluminium extrusion. The beauty of using wood as a construction tool is that can be relatively low cost compared to metal alternatives, and it can be so easily fine-tuned to your exact requirements.
You can look to design your own DIY F1 cockpit yourself by drawing it out on paper, or you can utilise a website called Open Sim Racing.
Open Sim Racing offers plans and blueprints for a variety of different sim rig designs, utilising a range of different construction methods.
You can browse through the hundreds of plans on OSR to find your perfect design. Once you have decided on a design, you can purchase the blueprint and schematics for a small cost, usually around or under £/$20.
Often, these designs have been built using CAD software allowing for the utmost precision when lining up fixings and mounting peripherals.
This route to building an F1 cockpit isn’t for the lighthearted and does require a lot of work. But the results that can be achieved can be completely custom and bespoke, allowing for as much or as little customisation required.
There is a range of F1 sim racing seats which are designed specifically to emulate an F1 car’s race seat design. These can be purchased individually and mounted to a variety of sim rigs.
If you already have a sim rig, and fancy racing in a Formula 1 position but don’t want to purchase an entirely new sim rig. Then changing your racing seat for one of these F1 seats could be a more cost-effective approach.
Sim-Lab is a company that is renowned for producing some of the highest-quality sim rigs and racing seats on the market. They have a range of sim racing seats available, and the SF1 is their formula seat design.
The Best F1 24 Racing Wheels
This racing seat differs from its other seats by using a much more fluid design between the lower and upper parts of the seat. This closely replicates F1 racing seats and is designed to be utilised in a reclined position.
You can mount this racing seat to almost any sim rig, including any of Sim-Lab’s own rigs. And it will instantly change your seating position from an upright position to a more reclined position.
To really maximise the immersion, you will have to raise your pedals up to further replicate a traditional formula position. But this racing seat allows you to achieve this result using a regular sim rig.
Racing Cockpit – Sim-Lab SF1 Formula Seat
Compatibility – PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox Series X|S
Price – €/$479
Where to buy – Buy from Sim-Lab
The Sparco GP Gaming seat utilises a very similar design approach to the Sim-Lab SF1 seat above. The fibreglass shell that frames this seat is curved to promote a curved seating position, which is accurate to F1 cockpits.
This racing seat is the same seat found included in the Sparco Evolve GP Sim Racing Cockpit.
The inside of this racing seat is covered in padding to give you a comfortable sim racing experience even after hours behind the wheel. The padding wraps up the side of the racing seat to cacoon you in, giving you an immersive sim racing experience.
The side mounting points allow this gaming seat to be mounted to a range of sim rigs via a set of side seat mounting plates. These mounting holes are positioned to enable an extreme seating angle.
Racing Cockpit – Sparco GP Gaming Seat
Compatibility – PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox Series X|S
Price – €/$490
Where to buy – Buy Sparco GP Seat
The NLR ES1 sim racing seat is a fully custom moulded all-in-one racing seat. It features a rigid construction with high-quality PU molded foam suede cushions covering the inside to ensure comfort while sim racing.
The seat doesn’t recline as it mimics the fibreglass racing seat design found in real motorsport. However, the design features a slight recline across the rear of the seat.
On the side there are a series of different mounting points. Most racing seats include a single mounting point allowing for limited customisation. However, the ES1 seat features multiple mounting holes.
When you mount this seat using the bottom mounting point at the front, and top mounting point at the rear, the seat will ahve a pretty extreme incline.
This allows you to configure this racing seat with any sim rig, including the Next Level Racing F-GT Elite cockpit, and position the seat in an F1-style seating position.
Racing Cockpit – Next Level Racing ES1 Racing Seat
Compatibility – PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox Series X|S
Price – €/$325
Where to buy – Buy NLR ES1 Seat
The V-Racing sim racing seat is a much closer representation of a real-world motorsport racing seat. This is a sim racing seat for those who are happy to forgo some comfort for a more immersive experience.
The seat itself is constructed from reinforced fibreglass to give you a rigid construction. While the seat does come with a head cushion, there is no additional padding on the inside of the seat.
There are mounting holes on the side of the seat allowing it to be mounted in a pretty traditional manner to any sim rig. The incline can be adjusted using these mounting holes, and at its most extreme angle, gives a pretty close representation of a real F1 seating position.
Racing Cockpit – V-Racing Sim Seat
Compatibility – PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox Series X|S
Price – €/$755
Where to buy – Buy from V-Racing
With the best F1 cockpits and racing seats covered, we can move onto the sim racing peripherals that you will need to pair with them to complete your sim racing setup.
You will require a racing wheel and set of pedals at the very minimum to get yourself up and racing. Beyond these peripherals, you can look at additional peripherals such as button boxes for extra control in-game, or manual shifter add-ons.
Although, if you’re racing modern-day F1 cars in a game such as iRacing or F1 22, you won’t be needing an additional shifter peripheral as you’ll be using the paddle shifters on your sim steering wheel.
Starting with the wheel base, there are a variety of sim racing wheel bases to choose from. Much like choosing your F1 cockpit, there are a number of different things to consider when purchasing a wheel base to race with.
Your wheel base is the main hub of your electronic setup and will dictate what other peripherals you can use. If you are sim racing on a console, all additional peripherals will have to run through your wheel base.
This is because consoles only allow one USB peripheral to be used in order to be recognised. This restriction will require all of your sim racing electronics to be compatible with each other, typically meaning they need to be from the same brand.
If you are racing on PC however, you have a much wider range of equipment that you can use. You racing wheel, pedals and shifters can all be separately connected to your PC allowing you to mix and match peripherals from different brands.
However, when it comes to choosing your wheel base, typically you will want to opt for a brand which has compatible steering wheels that you like.
When building a sim racing setup specifically for F1, I would recommend either Fanatec or MOZA Racing. Both of these brands have a range of wheel bases covering different strengths and different price ranges. And they both have F1-style steering wheels.
Fanatec has just celebrated their 25th anniversary, making them an incredibly established brand within sim racing. They offer a range of wheel bases from the lower-powered CSL DD, through to the high-performing Podium DD2.
These range in price from $/€350 to $/€1,499. The strength also ranges from 5Nm of direct drive torque through to a whopping 25Nm.
Our pick of the bunch would be the incredible Fanatec GT DD Pro. This wheel base comes in at 8Nm of torque placing itself firmly middle of the road. And it costs €599 when purchased individually.
The force feedback from this wheel base is incredibly detailed, and that shouldn’t be a surprise, as it is Fanatec’s most recently released wheel base.
It is compatible with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S as well as PC, making it a good addition to any sim racing setup.
Racing Wheel – Fanatec Gran Turismo DD Pro
Compatibility – PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox Series X|S
Price – From €/$599.95
Where to buy –
Buy from Fanatec EU /
Buy from Fanatec US
MOZA Racing in comparison is a much newer brand, having been on the sim racing scene for just a couple of years. However, during that time, they have released new products every few months to create a large ecosystem of sim racing products already.
They too have a range of direct drive wheel bases targeted towards different price ranges. The range-topping R21 wheel base was one of the first products that MOZA released, and produces a respectable 21Nm of torque, hence the name!
However, I would recommend the MOZAZ R9 wheel base if choosing a new wheel base to act as a hub for my setup.
The R9 produces 9Nm of torque from its direct drive motor. It features a much smaller form factor than the R21 as it uses the exterior casing as heat sync allowing it to remove internal fans.
Unlike the GT DD Pro, however, the MOZA R9 is currently only compatible with PCs, and isn’t compatible with any consoles. This is an issue that MOZA has addressed directly, announcing that console compatibility is something that they are looking at.
Racing Wheel – MOZA R9
Compatibility – PC
Price – £409/$439
Where to buy –
Buy from MOZA
To be able to use your wheel base, you will need to pick up a sim racing steering wheel. These are often sold individually to wheel bases allowing you to pick a style of steering wheel that suits your style and racing discipline.
If I were building a Fanatec setup using the GT DD Pro as my base, I would look to pick up the Fanatec Formula V2.5X steering wheel.
Fanatec has released multiple versions of their Formula wheel over the years, with the V2.5X being the newest of the bunch.
It features a whole host of inputs including push buttons, rotary encoders, thumb encoders and joysticks. The design of the wheel (and the name) is entirely focused on providing a formula-style sim racing steering wheel.
It incorporates the typical rectangular design of an F1 wheel along with a lot of similar functions. Around the back are a set of paddle shifters, and you can opt to upgrade to the Podium Paddle Module to include a pair of dual clutch paddles as well.
Steering Wheel – Fanatec Formula V2.5X
Compatibility – PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox Series X|S
Price – €/$349.95
Where to buy –
Buy from Fanatec EU /
Buy from Fanatec US
Much like the R9 wheel base is a direct competitor of the GT DD Pro, MOZA Racing also has an answer to the Formula V2.5X, and it comes in the form of the FSR Formula wheel.
The MOZA FSR Formula wheel looks impressive from the outset. And it’s hard not to notice the large screen on the front. The design of this steering wheel replicates a real F1 steering wheel much closer than the Formula V2.5X by incorporating the large screen.
This screen is used to showcase a range of live telemetry from in-game including lap times, tyre temperatures and more. This addition really helps immerse you into your sim racing. And it makes this one of the best formula-style steering wheels available currently.
Steering Wheel – MOZA FSR Wheel
Compatibility – PC
Price – £649/$649
Where to buy –
Buy from MOZA
When it comes to sim racing pedals, if racing on PC you have a wide range of choices depending on your budget. Both Fanatec and MOZA Racing offer load cell pedal sets which are both very good.
However, if we were to choose a sim racing pedal set for our new F1 sim racing setup, we would look towards Heusinkveld.
Heusinkveld produces some of the best load cell pedals on the market. They are much more premium than those offered by Fanatec and MOZA, but the performance is as close as you can get to a real-world car without opting for hydraulic pedals.
The Heusinkveld Sprint pedals are the entry point and are the pedals we would recommend. They offer a lot of the mechanics and design that Huesinkveld offers at their lowest price point for any pedal set.
Each pedal comes individually packaged and can be mounted to your sim rig independently of each other. This gives you the highest amount of customisation in the placement possible.
The pedals are all constructed from laser-cut steel ensuring they are as sturdy as needs to be. And the brake pedal can withstand up to 65kg or 143lbs of braking force thanks to its 120kg load cell.
Using the SmartControl software which is included you can csutomise every part of each pedal. You can change the output curves, deadzones and pedal forces required.
Hopefully, this guide has been informative and has shown some of the options you can choose to create the perfect F1 cockpit setup.
All of the options that I have discussed above are incredibly good choices, and there is a selection of products covering a range of different budgets. No matter where you sit in terms of budget, you should be able to find an F1 cockpit solution that works for you.
You can use the links below to shop for your favourite sim racing products, or for any products that we may have recommended. These links are affiliate links, and will earn us a small commission, with no additional cost for you.
If I were new to sim racing and looking for a beginner F1 cockpit I would look towards the Next Level Racing F-GT cockpit. This sim racing cockpit offers a lot of customisation including the option to sit in an F1 seating position at a fraction of the cost of other sim rigs.
Anything you can do to more closely represent the car you are driving will help with immersion. Using a Formula 1 style cockpit will certainly add to that immersion by allowing you to sit in a similar reclined seating position.
Rich is the co-founder, and one of the main F1 setup creators and content writers for SimRacingSetups. With over a decade of experience as a graphic designer, marketing director, competitive sim racer and avid motorsport fan, Rich founded SimRacingSetup.com to share his passion and knowledge of sim racing and Formula 1 with other sim racers.
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