Fanatec has two premium racing wheel bundles, the Gran Turismo DD Extreme and the ClubSport Racing Wheel F1. We compare them head-to-head to see which bundle offers better value.
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Fanatec has two premium racing wheel bundles with both using the same wheel base. So which of these two bundles is the better buy and which offers more value? In this comparison guide I look at the Gran Turismo DD Extreme vs the ClubSport Racing Wheel F1 to see which bundle I’d recommend considering.
Starting with the slightly older Gran Turismo DD Extreme, this bundle combines the ClubSport DD+ wheel base with a more premium version of the Gran Turismo steering wheel originally seen on the GT DD Pro. This seems to be an excellent bundle that offers versatility and a unique Gran Turismo branded wheel rim.
The ClubSport Racing Wheel F1 was announced just a month after the previous Fanatec bundle and on the surface looks incredibly similar. It features a unique steering wheel along with the ClubSport DD+ wheel base, much like the GT DD Extreme.
I want to kick off this comparison with a quick overview of both Fanatec ClubSport DD+ bundles. This will highlight the similarities and differences and give us a quick idea of what each bundle offers.
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| GT DD Extreme | ClubSport RW F1 | |
| Bundle Price | $/€1299.95 | $/€1299.95 |
| Wheel Base Price | $/€999 | $/€999 |
| FFB Strength | 15Nm | 15Nm |
| Compatibility | PC, PS5 | PC, PS5 |
| Release Date | February 2024 | March 2024 |
| Where To Buy | Buy from Fanatec | Buy from Fanatec |
Using the quick comparison above, we can see the similarities between both Fanatec bundles. They both cost the same, have the same compatibility due to using the same ClubSport DD+ wheel base, and both perform the same. Despite these similarities, there are a few notable differences including different steering wheels and different quick releases.
With both Fanatec ClubSport DD+ bundles costing the same, a direct price comparison isn’t important. But what is important is looking at the value both bundles offer. Both include different steering wheels and quick releases, meaning there is an offset between the core value on offer from both products.
Below I’ll look at the value of items included in both bundles to see how much raw value you get from the different bundles.
| GT DD Extreme | ClubSport F1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Wheel base | ClubSport DD+ $/€999.95 | ClubSport DD+ $/€999.95 |
| Steering wheel | Gran Turismo Wheel NA | Formula V2.5X $/€349.95 |
| Quick release | QR2 Lite $/€59.95 | QR2 $/€99.95 |
| Total value | $/€1059.90 (steering wheel not included) | $/€1449.85 |
You’ll see that there is a big difference between the total value of each bundle, and this is because we don’t have a price for the Gran Turismo steering wheel. It isn’t available to buy individually so we don’t know its true value.
The steering wheel does include a large screen that no other Fanatec steering wheels has, but this is combined with a plastic construction which would lower the value. The wheel itself does feel slightly cheaper than Fanatec’s usual quality which I’ll look at in more detail in our steering wheel comparison section below.
Assuming the steering wheel is valued close to the Formula V2.5X wheel would mean it has a value of around $/€350. This is probably fair as Fanatec has plenty of steering wheels in this price range with similar functionality other than the screen. Despite not having a large display, Fanatec’s other wheel rims in this price range all boast a better build quality making this a relatively fair assessment of the Gran Turismo wheel rim’s value.
Using the table above, it’s easier to see the differences between the Gran Turismo DD Extreme and the ClubSport F1 bundles. One of the big differences is the QR2 Lite that is found on the Gran Turismo bundle, compared to the metal QR2 on the F1 bundle. This is a big difference as the QR2 Lite doesn’t perform nearly as well as the QR2 does.
Ultimately, due to the higher build quality of the QR2 and Formula V2.5X wheel, I would consider the newer ClubSport Racing Wheel F1 to offer more value.
When you compare the two designs that these bundles offer, you get two distinct styles. The Gran Turismo bundle leans heavily on the Gran Turismo and PlayStation branding and provides a more versatile steering wheel at the expense of build quality. The F1 bundle focuses less on exclusivity but heavily on build quality and overall performance.
This difference in the design philosophy is mainly within the steering wheel. The Gran Turismo licensed steering wheel is an evolution of the wheel we first saw on the GT DD Pro a few years ago. It utilises the GT branding with inputs focused on emulating a PS5 controller.
You have the usual L1 and L2 buttons found on a controller making this feel very much like a console steering wheel. There are some nice additional inputs including four 5-way directional sticks with customisable RGB LED rings surrounding each stick.
There is a diffused rev bar across the top which lifts inspiration from MOZA steering wheels of the past. I much prefer individual LEDs for a rev bar as a diffused bar can look a little cheap. You also get FlagLEDs on either side of the giant GT logo.
The main party trick of the Gran Turismo steering wheel is the impressively large 2.7″ OLED display. This can feature live telemetry such as your current gear and speed as well as lap time and your current position. This is the first time Fanatec has used a screen like this, and it sets the groundwork for future steering wheels.
The wheel rim is wrapped in premium vegan leather and feels nice to hold. This circular steering wheel design lends itself nicely to racing various disciplines within Gran Turismo 7 and other racing titles. You can easily race road cars, rally cars and drift with this wheel without issue. This versatility in its use really is the strength of this design.
| Buy GT DD Extreme United States | $1299.95 |
| Buy GT DD Extreme Europe | €1299.95 |
| Buy GT DD Extreme Australia | $2139.90 |
Moving over to the ClubSport F1 wheel, this is without a doubt my preferred wheel of the two. One reason for this is that I predominantly sim race Formula 1 cars on F1 23, but the other is that it is a tried and tested design that I’ve used for years and performs incredibly well.
This steering wheel is the same as the Formula V2.5X that has been around for a while, however, you do get a unique blue forged carbon fibre design on this iteration. The new carbon fibre faceplate does look stunning, but the reason this wheel shines is due to the ergonomics and inputs.
At 270mm across, this wheel is on the smaller size, however, this is the ideal size for a formula or GT-style steering wheel. It feels lively and lightweight while sim racing and most inputs can be operated without removing your hand.
Talking of inputs, this steering wheel is packed with them. There are 11 push buttons, multiple 12-way multi-position switches, thumb encoders and switches. Once you spend a good while mapping all of these inputs in game, you’ll be able to control almost every aspect of your car directly from your steering wheel whilst sim racing.
Thanks to the carbon fibre faceplate, metal chassis and genuine leather hand grips, the overall build quality of this Formula wheel is incredible. It far outweighs the build quality of the Gran Turismo steering wheel making it my preferred choice.
| Buy ClubSport F1 United States | $1299.95 |
| Buy ClubSport F1 Europe | €1299.95 |
| Buy ClubSport F1 Australia | $2139.90 |
When I took both of these Fanatec bundles out onto the virtual track, the two design paths became immediately clear and resulted in the two bundles feeling pretty different to race with.
I spent more time with the Gran Turismo DD Extreme bundle due to it being around for a month longer. My first thoughts when racing with this bundle were to do with the QR2 Lite and the construction of the steering wheel. Both of these elements use plastic rather than metal in some crucial areas.
For example, pushing and pulling the steering wheel while it was attached to the racing wheel led to an alarming amount of flex. This flex comes mainly from the joins where the leather wheel rim joins the plastic body. During racing, it was harder to notice this flex as I rotated the wheel, but it still crept into places.
The QR2 Lite also doesn’t impress overly much. It is certainly an improvement over the old QR1 Lite which suffered from a lot of slipping. However, this trait is still there albeit not as noticeable.
After mounting and connecting the ClubSport Racing Wheel F1, my on track experience was noticeably better. The steering wheel itself uses predominantly metal and carbon fibre in its construction meaning it is incredibly sturdy. You could throw this steering wheel against a wall and I’m sure it would survive, although I’d highly recommend against doing this!
The metal QR2 quick release also impresses with zero flex, slip or noticeable movement coming from the joint between the steering wheel and wheel base. I had a much more enjoyable time racing with the newer ClubSport F1 racing wheel compared to the GT DD Extreme. With the Gran Turismo racing wheel, every now and then I would notice the weakness in the quick release and steering wheel and this takes your mind away from the on track action.
The Best F1 24 Racing WheelsWhen we look at the compatibility comparison between the Gran Turismo DD Extreme and the ClubSport Racing wheel F1, things look incredibly similar. In terms of console compatibility, both bundles are identical. They both work on PlayStation consoles and on PC out of the box.
The wheel base in both bundles does also have Xbox compatibility included, however, you will need to use a different Xbox-compatible Fanatec steering wheel to activate this. This is the same with both bundles.
You can swap the steering wheel by removing the wheel-side quick release from the steering wheels and attaching it to another wheel rim. The difference here though comes back to the QR2 Lite vs the QR2.
The QR2 Lite that is in the Gran Turismo bundle limits the maximum performance from the wheel base when used with any steering wheel other than the included wheel rim. That means if you detach the QR2 Lite from the Gran Turismo wheel and attach it to another Fanatec steering wheel, you will only be able to run the ClubSport DD+ at a maximum of 8Nm of peak torque.
This means that with the QR2 Lite installed on a different steering wheel, you will only be able to access around half the maximum performance from the ClubSport DD+. It is important to note that Fanatec has enabled high torque mode when the QR2 Lite is used with the included steering wheel, but it is limited to that wheel.
The QR2 that is included with the F1 bundle can access high torque mode regardless of which steering wheel it is mounted to. This gives additional performance if you want to sim racing with a different steering wheel.
Both bundles offer something a little bit different which is why Fanatec has these two bundles available. The Gran Turismo DD Extreme gives more versatility due to the circular wheel shape, and it also gives you a steering wheel that isn’t available to purchase individually in any form.
The ClubSport F1 bundle opts for a different route. You get a unique colourway on the included Formula V2.5X steering wheel, however, the fundamental wheel design is the same as the version available to purchase separately. Due to the steering wheel being a rectangular formula-style wheel, you also get less versatility from this bundle. I found it incredibly hard to go drifting or rallying with this wheel!
Despite its limitations, I would still recommend the ClubSport Racing Wheel F1 bundle as the better purchase. The inclusion of the metal QR2 provides a much better sim racing experience, and allows you to always access the full performance from the ClubSport DD+ wheel base.
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Both of these bundles include the same ClubSport DD+ wheel base, but both have different steering wheels. They also include different versions of the QR2 quick release.
When mounted to the included Gran Turismo steering wheel, the GT DD Extreme bundle does use high torque mode. This is disabled if you connect the QR2 Lite to a different steering wheel.
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.
View all articles written by Rich
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