German manufacturer of sim-racing peripherals Fanatec is a long-established player in the industry. The brand has been active in this sector for over 20 years, which not only gives it an excellent reputation, but has also enabled it to acquire a wealth of experience. In fact, Fanatec pioneered the marketing of Direct Drive bases accessible to all riders.

Today, the Fanatec catalog is well stocked, with 6 Direct Drive bases ranging from 5 nm for the CSL DD, to 25 nm for the Podium DD2, over twenty steering wheels, 5 pedalboards and a whole host of other sim-racing products, peripherals and accessories. If you’re looking for something special in racing simulation, there’s a good chance you’ll find it at Fanatec.

Speaking of steering wheels, the brand offers a complete catalog of wheels, spread over 3 ranges: the CSL for everything that’s inexpensive, the ClubSport, which is mid-range, and the Podium , which is premium. On each range, Fanatec also offers different types of steering wheel, from standard wheels (round or flat-bottomed) to F1/GT-type wheels. It’s really comprehensive, and with a wide range of materials too (plastic, composite, aluminum and forged carbon fiber). In what follows, I’m going to introduce you to one of the wheels in the ClubSport range, the F1 Esports V2, which is a very popular wheel in e-sport competitions.

Main and technical features of the steering wheel

• 27 cm diameter
• Officially licensed F1 steering wheel
• Aluminum frame, with alcantara trim on handles
• Anodized aluminum faceplate
• Multiple controls with 11 buttons, FunkySwitch and joystick
• 2 vibration motors integrated into the steering wheel
• RevLED
• Small LED display
• Metal QR1 on rear
• Weight approx. 1.3 kg

F1 Esports V2 design

So, the design of this ClubSport F1 Esports V2 steering wheel. As far as I’m concerned, it’s both very sober and slightly flashy. The whole wheel is black, with only yellow, orange and blue button outlines. It’s not too intrusive, I must admit, and as far as I’m concerned, it slightly enhances the wheel’s racing look.

The faceplate is made of anodized aluminum, sandwiched between open alcantara handles. From a design point of view, the Esports V2 is a beautiful, simple steering wheel that draws a lot of its inspiration from racing, and rightly so, given that it’s officially licensed for F1.

Customized assembly

Part of the ClubSport range, the F1 Esports V2 steering wheel features Fanatec’s aluminum QR1, giving it excellent strength at the drive shaft. Installation is ultra-simple, largely due to the fact that this QR is inspired by those used in competition.

Just pull on the ring at the back, align the flywheel, paying careful attention to the connection pins, install the flywheel and release the ring. It’s as simple as that.

Manufacturing and finishing

Fanatec has chosen aluminum as the main material for the Esports V2. The rear structure, or cage as the manufacturer calls it, is in aluminum, and the faceplate is in anodized aluminum. It’s very premium, with no flaws and an exemplary finish.

The assembly of this steering wheel is superb, with the parts lining up perfectly. Whether it’s the buttons and their contours, the alcantara, the rear paddles or the logos, I really have nothing to say about it. It’s a premium steering wheel that’s proudly displayed.

Handling the steering wheel

As an official F1 licensee, this steering wheel takes on the typical wheel shape of this competition. It’s rectangular, with a diameter of 27 cm, which is a little small by the way.

The handles are open at the bottom, which means they don’t join the faceplate, improving ergonomics. As for the controls, there are 11 buttons, a FunkySwitch and a joystick, all positioned correctly across the faceplate. With the exception of 3 buttons at the bottom of the steering wheel, all the rest are easily accessible on the run, and the same goes for the paddles. Speaking of paddles, by default, the F1 includes 2 aluminum rear paddles that fit perfectly under the hand. The only downside is that it will be short for those who race endurance or GT with the clutch and Launch Control. But Fanatec’s strength lies in its ecosystem, and this F1 steering wheel supports the Podium advanced paddle module, which integrates 6 paddles in all.

Sensations during play

First of all, this steering wheel is part of the ClubSport range, and weighs around 1.3 kg on the scale, which is a bit heavy for a 5 nm CSL DD. I strongly advise you to use this flywheel with a base developing at least 8 nm of torque (CSL DD 8 nm, or a ClubSport DD with the QR2 as offered in this bundle).

Sensations are excellent once the F1 is coupled to a good base. The connection with the drive shaft is very solid, largely due to the fact that the QR1 is made of metal. As a result, you won’t have any flexing, slight blind spots or any of the other drawbacks of the QR1 Lite in this application.

Force feedback is very well transmitted to the steering wheel, and its mass (1.3 kg) is not so noticeable if you use the F1 with a powerful base.

Of course, not everything about the ClubSport F1 steering wheel is perfect. Its biggest flaw is the fact that it comes with just 2 rear paddles, which will limit its use by Formula, GT and endurance fans. To remedy this, you’ll need to purchase a paddle module with 6 paddles.

F1 Esports V2 steering wheel compatibility

Platform-wise, this steering wheel is compatible with both Playstation and PC, which is just about right. For Xbox racers, you have ClubSport Formula V2.5, but it’s much more expensive than this wheel. As for sim-racing titles, the list is long and includes AC, ACC, F1, iRacing, rFactor and many more.

Naturally, the ClubSport F1 is compatible with the entire Fanatec ecosystem, in terms of chainstays, pedalboards, accessories and everything in between.

Value for money

Priced at €220 for the steering wheel, or just €900 as a bundle (steering wheel + Clubsport DD and QR2 base), the F1 Esports V2 offers excellent value for money as far as I’m concerned. Between the noble materials used, excellent build quality, outstanding finish and unrivalled compatibility with the brand’s ecosystem, I don’t think you’ll find anything better for all things Formula.

My verdict on Fanatec’s Clubsport F1 Esports V2 steering wheel

The ClubSport F1 Esports V2 is an excellent steering wheel for single-seater fans. It’s priced very competitively – aggressively, I’d say – has the build quality of a premium German brand, and is officially licensed by F1. What more could you ask for? Well, Fanatec is currently offering an incredible deal, with this steering wheel plus the ClubSport DD base and Quick Release QR2 for just €900. Clearly an opportunity not to be missed by fans of single-seater sim-racing!