Last updated on June 23rd, 2021 at 01:34 pm
You’ll need €499.95 and some fast ordering skills with the limited edition Fanatec ClubSport Steering Wheel F1 2020 revealed for pre-orders. And it certainly looked pretty cool, with forged carbon gear paddles, and a carbon fibre front plate.
Just 2020 units will be produced, and the remaining available stocks are going down quickly, meaning that it could well be sold out before the weekend. Despite the fact it requires specific Fanatec wheel bases to work, and isn’t Xbox One compatible – it’s aimed at the PC market and the PS4 in conjunction with a PS4-compatible wheelbase.
But you do get a fair amount with the wheel. Including a full sticker set and tweezers so you can remember what you’ve assigned to everything.
With the limited edition Fanatec ClubSport Steering Wheel F1 2020 revealed, we finally know all the details of the limited edition option for sim racing.
First up is the 5-mm thick carbon fibre front plate with orange accents, and the cutaway F1-style grip design. And with a compact 27 cm diameter it’s designed for fast movement and reaction. The weight is around 1200 grammes, and the button caps are customisable.
As you’d expect from a high end sim racing wheel, the grips feature smooth genuine leather, perforated for breathability. So they should work well for longer race sessions. And inside are two vibration motors, which can be controlled through the wheel tuning menu.
The shifters are particularly interesting. The F1 2020 wheel uses the ClubSport Magnetic Paddle Module which has a strong resistance and click to provide a solid feel with every gearshift. That module will also be available separately later in 2020 for €99.95, or can be upgraded to the Podium Advanced Paddle Module with analogue clutch paddles if you prefer.
The F1 2020 gets some exclusivity still, with 3mm-thick carbon fibre paddles finished in forged carbon to match the front.
To swap the wheel in and out quickly, it comes with the ClubSport Quick Release Adaptor, so you can change it within seconds. Which is handy if you regularly switch between different virtual motorsport discplines.
But carbon and metal is only part of the story when it comes to a sim racing wheel. The electronics and switches are also important.
So the wheel comes with a range of LEDs and main display. So you get a Rev LED bar featuring 9 multi-colour LEDS to display the RPM and optimimal shift point. And there are two flag LED bars with three multi-colour LEDS in each. So you can see tyre slip, flag warnings, the pit limiter and more.
Meanwhile the main white OLED display can show speed or other telemetry data, or be used for tuning functions to adjust the settings during races.
And then there are the buttons. You get a total of 11 buttons, with two 2-way toggle switches, two 12-way multi position switches, one “FunkySwitch” 7-way joysick, and one 2-axis analogue joystick. And two thumb encoders you can use while driving without having to take your hands off the wheel.
The Fanatec ClubSport Steering Wheel F1 2020 is compatible with PC and PS4 (with a PS4 compatible wheel base and with functionalist determined by each game). And you’ll need one of the following wheel bases:
- ClubSport Wheel Base V2
- ClubSport Wheel Base V2.5
- CSL Elite Wheel Base
- CSL Elite Wheel Base V1.1
- CSL Elite Wheel Base + officially licensed for PS4
- CSL Elite Racing Wheel officially licensed for PS4
- PODIUM Wheel Base DD1
- PODIUM Wheel Base DD2
- PODIUM Racing Wheel F1 PS4
You can pre-order the wheel now from the Fanatec website for €499.95 plus shipping, and it will become available on July 3rd, 2020.
But you can justify the purchase a little as Fanatec is running a special offer for the F1 2020 game. Buy any steering wheel, and you can add the F1 2020 Deluxe Schumacher Edition for 1 Euro. And that covers the PC, PS4 and Xbox One edition. Which will save you around £60 on the retail price for when the game becomes available on July 7th, 2020.
You can check out all our news and coverage of sim racing Wheels, Pedals and Accessories, here. And check out everything related to F1 2020, here.
Can’t afford brand new Fanatec sim racing products? You can find a wide range available secondhand on various sites, including eBay.
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