It’s about time Fanatec brought out an update, or rather a new version, of its legendary Quick Release QR1, as the latter has been on the market for quite some time and is showing its age horribly.

Fanatec’s QR system is very popular in the sim-racing world. Featured exclusively on the German manufacturer’s products, this QR performs well in its metal version, to a certain extent of course, is easy to use for swapping wheels quickly and is relatively inexpensive if you want an upgrade.

But like all things, time shows us the shortcomings of the best products we own, or rather their limits. And with the advent of Direct Drive bases developing more than 20 nm of torque, the QR1 quickly proved to be out of its depth in certain situations.

We’ve been waiting a while for Fanatec’s new QR, especially after the brand presented us with its prototype at the end of 2022, the QR2. Fast forward almost a year later, and we finally have the QR2 in final form in three versions: the QR2 Lite, the QR2 and the QR2 Pro.

The different versions of Fanatec’s QR2

As with its predecessor, the QR2 is available in several versions. The Lite version in carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic composite, the standard version in ground aluminum, and the Pro version in CNC-machined aluminum.

The QR2 Lite is designed for racers on a budget, and will eventually be featured on all CSL entry-level steering wheels. Its plastic structure means it’s lightweight and inexpensive, and the carbon fiber gives it far greater rigidity when racing. You won’t feel as much movement as with the version it replaces.

In the case of the standard QR2, it’s ground aluminum, which gives it strength, rigidity and virtually no flex on the base, even when you’re going hard on the wheel. This QR is perfect for all ClubSport and Podium steering wheels, and is also compatible with those in the CSL range.

The QR2 Pro is the ultimate version of Fanatec‘s QR. Designed directly from a CNC-machined aluminum block, this QR is ultra-rugged, with a design combining black and gold, and is even FIA-certified for use in motor racing. This means that with the QR2 Pro, you can do sim-racing sessions at home and take your steering wheel and its QR and put them on your car for track days, which is frankly brilliant.

The new Base-Sides that come with QR2s

Fanatec’s QR1s were part of two elements in real life: you had the Wheel-Side, which is the QR that attaches to the steering wheel or wheel, and you had the Base-Side, which attaches to the drive shaft of the Direct Drive motor.

The old Base-Sides were round with a ball-and-socket fastening system that allowed the flywheel to be coupled to the base while minimizing movement and flexing. I have to say that this system is pretty good, easy to set up and quite solid when the torque is contained. But when you have DD2 bases with 25 nm of torque, this QR quickly shows its limits.

For the new QR2, Fanatec has chosen a different approach, taking inspiration from competitors such as Simucube and company. The Base-Side part, which mounts on the drive shaft, is now quite rectangular in shape, with notches at the rear to accommodate fixing tabs. Gone are the days of balls, where a certain amount of play developed over time as the parts wore out. Now you have two “rectangular” parts that meet and never leave each other’s side. The result is surprising, with virtually no flex on the drive shaft – well, except for the Lite version, but that’s to be expected given its plastic structure. Still, it doesn’t move that much, especially with a base that produces less than 8nm of torque.

These new Base-Sides are 2 in number, with a version for Fanatec’s base ranges. There’s a Type-C Base-Side for CSL DD bases, and a Type-M Base-Side for Podium DD bases.

QR2 compatibility

So the new QR2s are compatible with all Fanatec product ranges, whether CSL, ClubSport or Podium, and this applies to both shuttlecocks and bases. There’s just one point worth mentioning: for CSL DD bases, you’re obliged to use Base-Side Type-C, and Type-M for Podium DD bases.

Fixing the QR2 Wheel-Side is very easy: simply dismantle the old QR1 and fit the new one using the screws. For the Base-Side, it’s easy for the CSL DD and Podium DD2 bases, and a little difficult for the Podium DD1. But it’s still easy to do, and shouldn’t take you more than 15 mins if you’re a bit handy.

Prices and availability of the new QR2s

The prices quoted come direct from Fanatec, and we have a QR2 Lite at €60, a QR2 at €100 and the Pro at €200 for the Wheel-Side. As for the Base-Side, the Type-C costs €70 and the Type-M €150. The price difference is due to the materials used: the Type-C uses ground aluminum, while the Type-M uses Billet aluminum machined with CNC machines.

For availability, check the Fanatec website. At the time of writing, only Wheel-Side QRs are in stock, which implies high demand from the sim-racing community.