If you’re looking for premium sim-racing peripherals, you’ve got plenty of options. Brands such as Asetek, Simucube, Fanatec and Simagic offer top-of-the-range products, as well as budget-friendly variants in some cases.

Among the brands operating in the premium segment is GSI. This is a manufacturer of top-of-the-range Formula and GT steering wheels from the USA. It targets an elitist market, with products that are highly prized by seasoned and even professional drivers.

The steering wheels offered by GSI range from GT to Formula, with even flat-bottomed round options. Our focus today is on the Hyper P1. It’s GSI’s top-of-the-line Formula wheel, and just as well, because it’s on our sim-racing setup for a full test.

Main and technical features of the steering wheel

• 30 cm diameter with specific Formula shape
• Weighs almost 1.7 kg, but can weigh over 1.8 kg in 6-pallet version
• Aluminum frame with carbon fiber faceplate
• Available in 4 and 6 pallet versions, 2 analog and the rest magnetic
• 12 backlit buttons, 4 thumb encoders, 3 funky switches, 5 rotary and a 4.3-inch touch screen
• RevLED at the top of the screen, plus more on the sides
• Highly customizable steering wheel to suit your needs
• PC compatible only, and 6×70 mm QR pattern
• Connection to PC via USB cable and steering wheel-mounted aviation socket
• SimHub compatible

Hyper P1 design

First of all, you need to know that this steering wheel is big. It’s 30 cm in diameter, with a very rectangular shape. Visually, the Hyper P1 is a sober wheel in its basic configuration, but GSI offers this steering wheel in various configurable versions, including color-coded controls.

But back to the design. So, you’ve got a carbon fiber faceplate, good-sized handles on the sides that open downwards, controls spread across the faceplate and a version with 4 or 6 paddles on the rear, not forgetting the touchscreen that sits in the center of the steering wheel.

The Hyper P1 is a beautiful wheel, inspired by those used on RedBull F1 models.

Customized assembly

The 6×70 mm mounting pattern is located on the rear of the Hyper P1. As for mounting, or rather QR, you have a wide choice from Simagic, Fanatec, Asetek or Simucube, and many more. All you need to do is purchase the hub for the base you have, and you’re ready to mount this flywheel.

And if you don’t want to break the bank too much, GSI offers bundles with its steering wheels and Simucube bases directly from the American brand’s website. I think it’s very practical, and the target audience is carefully selected, as Simucube is a sim-racing equipment manufacturer renowned for its quality products.

Wheel manufacture and finishing

The steering wheel structure is made of aluminum, machined using CNC machines. The faceplate is made of carbon fiber, with an aluminum plate protecting all the controls. This plate is in one piece, and screws onto the faceplate.

It’s a very high-end product, and I’d expect nothing less from a steering wheel that costs as much as a complete Fanatec bundle. But then, we’re clearly not in the same segment as the German manufacturer of sim-racing peripherals, even if Fanatec does offer some very premium, and expensive, one-offs.

I didn’t notice any flaws, gaps, spaces or anything else on the Hyper P1. The buttons don’t catch when you press them, the paddles are precise with rounded edges, and even the connection cable to the PC is aviation-grade.

The Hyper P1 is a superbly finished steering wheel that’s not afraid to show others that it’s there for the taking.

Handling the steering wheel

Well, on that score, this steering wheel isn’t going to please everyone. To put it simply, the GSI Hyper P1 is large, with a 30 cm diameter and substantial handles. As a result, grip will clearly vary from one person to another.

If you have medium-sized hands, access to certain controls will be difficult without leaving the handles. So on-the-fly parameter changes are out of the question. But if your hands are large, the Hyper P1 is excellent in terms of overall ergonomics.

The rear paddles are very well placed, especially the dual clutch one if you take them. They’re analog, yes, but also progressive: as their travel increases, they get harder, which is just excellent in terms of feedback. I don’t think other brands offer this on their steering wheels, and I’m all for the general adoption of progressive dual clutches.

As for the screen, it’s 4.3” diagonal and touch-sensitive. This is great if you like screens on steering wheels, and you can configure the dashboard via SimHub.

Sensations during play

Let’s talk about the Hyper P1’s racing credentials. Once again, the steering wheel is 30 cm in diameter, which can be problematic for some drivers, especially those with medium-sized hands. This will impact your driving experience quite negatively, as you’ll feel like you’re driving with a truck wheel that’s rectangular and heavy too (over 2 kg with QR).

For those with big hands, the Hyper P1 is a steering wheel that’s simply perfect for fomula racing. The overall ergonomics, the placement of the controls, the paddles and also the screen, not to mention the grips, everything has been studied to give you the best possible experience.

What I really appreciated about driving the Hyper P1 was the dual clutch paddles. They’re optional, and above all progressive. This means that the more you press on them, the more their resistance increases, giving you a perfect dosage when using them to start an F1 car, for example. It’s just wonderful, and I invite all steering wheel manufacturers to offer it, because it’s a game changer for racers.

The screen on the faceplate displays dashboards that can be configured via SimHub, and with a nice resolution, I think. I’m not necessarily a fan of screens on steering wheels, even less so those that are touch-sensitive, but I admit that it’s an immersion-enhancing feature.

Hyper P1 compatibility

Platform-wise, the Hyper P1 is compatible only with Windows PCs. Mapping and control parameters are handled by SimHub, and if you’ve already used this software, adapting the Hyper P1 to your needs will be child’s play.

Compared with Direct Drive bases, GSI offers bundles with Simucube if you choose the simpler route. The Hyper P1 can be used with any DD base with the 6×70 mm hub/QR mounting pattern.

Value for money

I said earlier that GSI is a high-end company, and I couldn’t have been more serious. The Hyper P1 is a configurable steering wheel, so prices may differ from one racer to another. But in broad terms, this steering wheel will cost you a minimum of €1,500, and a maximum of €2,000. Please note, however, that these prices are exclusive of tax, and you’ll need to add VAT at the time of purchase.

The Hyper P1 is aimed at a particular audience of virtual drivers, those with a passion for sim-racing and the means to afford a very high-end setup.

My verdict on the GSI Hyper P1

Once again, GSI has proven its Formula steering wheel expertise. The Hyper P1 ticks virtually all the boxes to be considered the perfect sim-racing wheel.

Apart from its size and excessive price, the Hyper P1 is a wheel I can recommend. If you get the chance to try it out, or even better, buy it, you’ll know what I’m talking about, and you’ll swear by this wheel.