The Next Level Racing F-GT Elite and GT Elite both look very similar, however are priced very differently. What is the difference between GT Elite and F-GT Elite, and which sim rig is better?
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Next Level Racing are specialists in producing excellent sim rigs and sim racing cockpits. However, their naming convention can lead to confusion. A quick example is the F-GT Elite and GT Elite cockpits. Both have incredibly similar names, but there is a £/$400 price difference.
To add to the confusion, you also have the F-GT Elite Lite and F-GT Elite 160, along with multiple special editions. Despite the similar names that Next Level Racing give their products, what is the difference between the GT Elite vs F-GT Elite cockpits?
In this guide, I’ll examine both of these Next Level Racing sim rigs to highlight their differences and answer the question of why the F-GT Elite is almost double the price.
Before I delve into both cockpits, along with their similarities and differences, I first want to highlight the technical specs of both the F-GT Elite and GT Elite.
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| F-GT Elite | GT Elite | |
| Price | £999 / $999 | £599 / $599 |
| Seating Position | F1, GT & Hybrid | GT Only |
| Dimensions | 148 x 82.5 x 86.5cm | 120 x 70 x 84cm |
I’m going to start by looking at how the Next Level Racing F-GT Elite and GT Elite cockpits are similar because they share many design and functionality features.
At first glance, the two look incredibly similar. Both cockpits use custom 100x40mm aluminium profiles for the majority of the frame, and the layout of these strips of extrusion is very similar. Both cockpits use an angled design with the vertical wheel mounting frame swooped back towards the driver.
This style of cockpit is becoming increasingly commonplace among sim racing brands as it allows more room to get into and out of the racing seat. The newer Sim-Lab cockpits, including the P1X Pro, which I reviewed, also embrace this slanted vertical design.
You get a range of additional accessories and mounting points with both cockpits. They both come packaged with seat mounts, although these do differ slightly in their design. The same is true with the included shifter mounts. The F-GT Elite and GT Elite include additional mounting for shifters, but the design is slightly different.
Both cockpits can be fitted with various racing wheel mounts, including wheel plates or side mounting brackets. The F-GT Elite and GT Elite are compatible with the same pedals, racing wheels, and racing seats.
The two Next Level Racing cockpits are different in a few ways. The F-GT Elite has additional mounting placements that let you alter the angle of your racing seat to be much more reclined than the GT Elite. You can also adjust your pedals much more with the F-GT Elite compared to the GT Elite which offers minimal adjustments.
One of the key differences between the two cockpits is the positions in which you can configure the racing seat and pedals. The extra letter in the name between GT Elite and F-GT Elite signifies Next Level Racing’s “Formula” style cockpits.
Therefore, the F-GT Elite is designed to accommodate a formula-seating position. It achieves this by adjusting some of the components of the sim rig. I mentioned that the seat brackets are slightly different. The F-GT Elite has large brackets that allow for a greater range of adjustment. This lets sim racers angle the seat much more aggressively, resulting in a more reclined position.
The pedal mounting has also been changed with the F-GT Elite to match this more angled seat position. While the GT Elite mounts the pedals to two strips of 40x40mm aluminium extrusions pivoted from the bottom of the sim rig frame, the F-GT Elite moves the pivot position to the vertical struts. This allows the bottom of the pedal plate to be mounted anywhere up the vertical frame.
Then, there are two very large pedal mounting plates that only come with the F-GT Elite. These let you angle the pedals at an incredible height. It is important, if you are racing in an F1 seating position, that you adjust your pedals to be as high as your seat. And you can certainly achieve this aggressive position with the F-GT Elite cockpit.
The beauty of the F-GT Elite and its adjustability is that it can be set up in a formula seating position, a GT position, or even a more conventional road car or truck driving position. Below are two images of the F-GT Elite set up in both a formula and GT driving position.
The shifter mount is one last area of improvement that the F-GT Elite has over the cheaper GT Elite. The more affordable GT Elite cockpit includes a single piece of extrusion that is mounted to the vertical upright only. This juts out towards the driver and allows you to mount a shifter or handbrake.
The F-GT Elite includes a shifter mount that is constructed from two parts. The horizontal piece of the mount is the same, however, there is an included vertical frame that secures the shifter mount in place. During use, this will help reduce and flex or wobble that may come from the shifter area.
I mentioned at the very beginning of this guide, just how confusing Next Level Racing’s naming convention can be. This typically originates from NLR having two distinct cockpit styles, formula and GT, and then expanding upon those with multiple variations.
The Next Level Racing formula range of cockpits includes;
Next Level Racing has partnered with various car manufacturers and brands to offer special edition cockpits. You may find any of the cockpits above available in these special editions. NLR have Ferrari, Ford and iRacing special editions of the premium F-GT Elite cockpits.
Looking through the NLR shopfront can be confusing with so many variants, all with very similar names. However, understanding the NLR naming convention is simple when you look for a few key things.
Next Level Racing has also expanded the variations of its GT cockpits to include;
Shop all of Next Level Racing’s cockpits on their official website.
Moving away from looking at the endless variations of the Next Level Racing F-GT and GT cockpits, I want to answer whether the F-GT Elite is the better cockpit. The answer is a resounding yes. The improvements that the F-GT Elite bring over the GT Elite improve the adjustability and rigidity of the cockpit, making it, without a doubt, the better of the two.
Will Ford at Boosted Media said in his comparison of the two cockpits that the “differences are barely noticeable while driving, it is important to realise that the F-GT Elite is overall more solid than the GT-Elite.“
The Best F1 24 Racing WheelsThe second question is whether the F-GT Elite is worth the extra £/$400 over the GTElite. The answer is much tougher. At £/$599 for the GTElite frame, it is a great cockpit that offers everything you’d expect from an aluminium profile sim rig.
It does lack some adjustability that other cockpits offer, and you are limited in how you position your seat. If you like to sim race Formula or open-wheeled games, you may not find the perfect driving position with the GTElite. Upgrading to the F-GT Elite will most certainly allow you to position your seat, pedals, and racing wheel in the ultimate Formula seating position.
When spending the large amount of money that a sim rig demands, it may be better to purchase the F-GT Elite once, rather than upgrading from the GTElite at some point down the line. However, this sentiment is only really true if you require a formula-style sim racing cockpit.
Read our guide on the best aluminium profile sim rigs to view our recommended alternatives to these Next Level Racing cockpits.
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.
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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