Sim-racing is no longer a discipline dominated by racing drivers seeking to improve their skills on special stages or circuits. More and more gamers are getting in on the act to enjoy a highly popular motor sport, but one with very high operating costs.

I’m not telling you anything new when I say that racing, whatever the motor sport discipline, is expensive – very expensive indeed. A single track-day on a circuit will reduce your bank account by at least €500-600, and that’s without counting the wear and tear on the car and the expenses that come afterwards (engine oil changes, brake pad and tire changes, and the whole shebang).

As a result, sim-racing is a viable option, even if it remains a rather expensive discipline, especially if you want a quality setup with premium peripherals. Except that a complete Fanatec setup will certainly cost you an arm and a leg, especially if you dip into the ClubSport and Podium ranges, but it will be a one-off purchase, not a recurring expense.

Speaking of Fanatec configurations, the German manufacturer of sim-racing peripherals offers a number of wheels in its catalog, including one from the CSL range: the CSL Elite WRC. It’s a very nice wheel as far as I’m concerned, and we’ll look at it in more detail in this article.

Main and technical characteristics of the wheel

• Round wheel with 30 cm diameter
• Genuine alcantara finish on steering wheel surround
• Orange stitching to great effect
• Large aluminum rear paddles
• Brushed aluminum frame
• Small LED display integrated at the top of the steering wheel
• Full controls with Xbox buttons
• Compatible with PC, Playstation and Xbox

CSL Elite WRC design

For the design of the CSL Elite WRC, Fanatec didn’t beat about the bush: the manufacturer took the design of a WRC wheel, with an aluminum structure and alcantara all around the steering wheel.

On the front, it’s quite minimalist, with the Fanatec logo above, the WRC logo in the center and a tire track below. It looks great, especially with the orange stitching on the alcantara. The controls are distributed along the sides, making them easily accessible without your hands leaving the steering wheel.

At the rear, there are two large paddles in bright orange. You either like it or you don’t, but I think it gives it character, even if I prefer the more sober wheels.

Customized assembly

The CSL Elite WRC is mounted via its QR1 Lite on the rear, and virtually all Fanatec bases will accommodate this steering wheel, provided you have the right QR Base Side. If you haven’t already heard, about 2 months ago the German manufacturer released a new Quick Release called QR2. The mounting system has greatly evolved, with a rather rectangular shape, which minimizes the play of the flywheel on the drive shaft, especially with the plastic QR Wheel Side.

But that’s not the point. You’ll be able to mount this wheel on virtually any Fanatec base, as I’ve just said, and the operation is easy: you have a ring on the QR, pull it out and mount the wheel on the base, paying attention to the connection pins.

Manufacturing and finishing

Although the CSL Elite WRC is part of Fanatec’s entry-level CSL range, the quality is there for all to see. The steering wheel structure is in brushed aluminum, while the steering wheel surround is in real alcantara. It’s just beautiful, and above all, very premium, if you ask me.

On close inspection, I didn’t notice any manufacturing defects, and the finish is just right. You can feel Fanatec ‘s experience on this wheel when you pick it up. The only small blemish on this practically perfect picture is the plastic QR1 Lite. This little piece of equipment is certainly well-made and well-finished too, but it’s not up to its job with such a steering wheel, and I’ll come back to this below when discussing in-game sensations.

Handling the wheel

As with more or less all Fanatec wheels, the CSL Elite WRC’s ergonomics are just excellent, with judiciously placed controls within easy reach of your fingers, 2 large paddles easily accessible on specials, and a small display giving you limited but useful information.

Given that the wheel is 30 cm in diameter, you won’t have so much trouble adjusting to it, as it’s more or less what you’d find on a car steering wheel. Alcantara is excellent to the touch, giving your hands a premium feel. What’s more, the alcantara used by Fanatec for the CSL Elite WRC steering wheel is of very high quality, and you won’t really need gloves to drive with it.

As I said, the controls are easily accessible, as are the large paddles on the rear. However, you should be aware that this steering wheel is a little heavy, weighing in at 2.1 kg.

Sensations during play

The CSL Elite WRC remains a very good wheel for touring, rallying or simply semi-arcade/simulation sim-racing titles. In terms of feel, it all depends on your Fanatec base.

Coupled with a 5 nm CSL DD, the steering wheel is frankly very good, with a little play when you go hard with the force applied to it. Incidentally, I’d advise all racers not to exceed 5 nm of torque with Fanatec flywheels featuring the plastic QR1 Lite.

On the other hand, if you put the CSL Elite WRC on an 8nm CSL DD, there’s a lot more play involved, and you’ll sometimes even have a few disconnections from the steering wheel if your hands are heavy enough when cornering, or when the base throws you a big potato on track exits or during bumps.

As for the rest, the CSL Elite WRC feels very solid in your hands, and you won’t feel any of the flex found on some inexpensive steering wheels. The controls are superbly well laid out, and easy to access on the track or on special stages. The size of the paddles makes them a joy to use, and the alcantara is nothing short of premium.

CSL Elite WRC compatibility

As standard, this steering wheel comes with Xbox controls, giving it native compatibility with Microsoft consoles and the PC platform. However, the Playstation logo can be found on the CSL Elite WRC information page, and this steering wheel is compatible with Sony consoles only if you have a specific base.

As far as sim-racing titles are concerned, the WRC designation simply means that it is officially licensed under the World Rally Championship. This doesn’t mean that it can only be used on Dirt Rally and the like. You can also use this wheel on titles such as Forza Motorsport, Asseto Corsa or iRacing.

Value for money

On the Fanatec website, the CSL Elite WRC is listed at €200, and frankly, that’s a very good price as far as I’m concerned. Don’t forget that you’re getting a wheel with brushed aluminum, alcantara and a meticulous finish, all in a black dress with orange stitching that’s simply gorgeous.

For this price, you won’t find anything better in Fanatec’s catalog, being a very nice steering wheel and especially one that’s completely round. Yes, the QR1 Lite is a bit spotty, but you can swap it for €50, and the only steering wheel that could compete with the CSL Elite WRC costs €100 more.

My verdict on Fanatec’s CSL Elite WRC

Fanatec is a brand that I really appreciate in sim-racing, because you get the feeling that the manufacturer has the skills and is always looking to innovate in order to offer quality products that come dangerously close to reality.

The CSL Elite WRC is one of Fanatec’s quality peripherals, and it’s a wheel I’d highly recommend to anyone looking to get into sim-racing. Admittedly, the QR1 Lite isn’t very solid in certain situations, and it’s not supposed to be, as it’s an entry-level QR. If you opt for an 8 nm CSL DD, go straight for the metal QR1 with this steering wheel. In any case, I approve.