The premium sim-racing segment is still dominated by just a few brands that have been in the industry for some time. These include names such as Simucube or Asetek for elitist peripherals used by motorsport teams.

However, there are other players who also touch on the premium with specific products and collaborations with big names in the automotive industry. Fanatec is a good example, and the German brand collaborates with Porsche, McLaren and Bentley on everything to do with steering wheels.

That’s for the brands we all know, which are on everyone’s mind when we talk about sim-racing in its premium category. Of course, there are other lesser-known names, such as Rexing. This European brand, Croatian to be precise, operates in a very specific sim-racing segment, that of the very high-end. Even if the company is rather small in terms of staff and solutions offered to the general public, its experience with carbon fiber is undeniable.

Today on our sim-racing setup we have the Mayaris 2, a Formula-type wheel that could win the title of best wheel in its class.

Main and technical features of the steering wheel

• 29 cm diameter
• Formula-style steering wheel
• 5” central OLED screen and 3 other small screens above the bottom rotary encoders
• 1.15 kg on the scales, thanks in particular to the massive use of carbon fibre
• Can be ordered directly with the Asetek QR
• Available in 4- or 6-pallet versions, including 2 magnetic pallets and 2 optional Push Pull pallets
• Silicone handles for excellent grip
• RevLED on 3 sides of screen
• 21 controls in all, with 4 or 6 rear-mounted paddles and 10 backlit buttons
• Fully adjustable steering wheel
• Native PC and SimHub compatibility
• Aluminum rear hub to accommodate all 50.8 and 70 mm QRs from Fanatec, Asetek, Simucube, etc.

Mayaris 2 design

As with virtually all Formula wheels, the Mayaris 2 is a rectangular steering wheel with downward-opening handles. The faceplate incorporates a 5″ diagonal OLED touchscreen, with LEDs all around.

All the steering wheel’s controls are located on the sides of the screen, along with silicone grips. Visually, it’s the carbon fiber that stands out, with the use of this material over the entire structure of the steering wheel, not just the faceplate. It’s magnificent, especially when you see that Rexing has applied resin to the carbon fiber (except for the front) to give it a smooth effect. And it’s more than successful.

All the angles of this steering wheel are very beautiful, and in fact, the manufacturer took inspiration from the Mercedes F1 wheel for the design of the Mayaris 2. Frankly, I don’t have much to say about it.

Customized assembly

Given that the brand offers an F1-style steering wheel for everyone, the wheel assembly has to accommodate more or less all the Quick Releases available on the market. The result is a hub with a pattern of 50.8 and 70 mm to accommodate numerous QRs from other manufacturers of sim-racing peripherals, including Simucube, Fanatec, Simagic and Asetek.

Speaking of this brand, Rexing offers to have the Mayaris 2 delivered directly with the Asetek QR, and all you have to do is mount it on an Invicta base, for example, to take full advantage of your steering wheel. If you opt for this solution, you’ll get the QR without its driveshaft extensions. Depending on your setup, it’s best to buy the Mayaris 2 and the Asetek QR separately.

Wheel manufacture and finishing

Unlike other brands, the Mayaris 2 is built entirely from carbon fiber. It’s not an FC faceplate bonded to an aluminum frame. It’s 100% carbon fiber, on virtually every part of the wheel.

Needless to say, the build quality is exceptional, with particular attention paid to the rounded edges. It’s true that the wheel includes a few plastic elements, such as the edges of the buttons, but this is the case with all other steering wheels.

As for the finish, all the carbon fiber is varnished to give a smooth surface, except for the faceplate to avoid reflections. As a result, it’s superb to the touch, and good luck finding the slightest manufacturing flaw. The Mayaris 2 is handmade to order. No, this is not assembly-line production. It’s individual, and that’s very rare in the industry.

Handling the steering wheel

The wheel is 29 cm in diameter, with downward-opening handles. This gives it a very good grip, accentuated by the 09h15 riding position. All controls are easily accessible on the fly, provided you have medium-sized hands. Smaller hands will have trouble reaching certain buttons, unfortunately, and there’s nothing we can do about that.

At the rear are 4 or 6 paddles, 4 of which are adjustable. These are fully configurable via SimHub, as are the rest of the controls, and 4 are magnetic. The last 2 (optional) are in Push-Pull configuration.

There are 4 screens in all. The central one displays telemetry data, and 3 others above the rotary encoders on the faceplate. Each encoder offers several settings in 3 and 4 different levels, hence the need for a screen. It’s smart, and takes up less space on the steering wheel.

Sensations during play

It’s time to see what the Mayaris 2 has to offer on a sim-racing setup. After installing it on a base, you’ll need to go through SimHub to set it up, whether it’s the screen display, control mapping, and also the LEDs. This steering wheel not only has RevLEDs, but also backlighting on all buttons, and LEDs for flags.

As soon as everything is set up, the magic happens, literally. The Mayaris 2 is superbly easy to handle, and the ease of access to the controls is just magnificent.

What I really like about the Mayaris 2 is that it’s configured by default to display cars overtaking you via button backlighting. For example, if a competitor tries to overtake you from the right, the buttons to the right of the steering wheel will start flashing, giving you a visual warning. It’s great fun, very practical and saves you looking at the mirrors too often.

Steering wheel compatibility

Not surprisingly, Rexing’s Mayaris 2 is only compatible with the Windows PC platform. It’s a more than elitist wheel, aimed at a very restricted audience who don’t sim-race on consoles. What’s more, it’s all about customization, and SimHub doesn’t work on Xbox or Playstation, just like any other software.

When it comes to base support, you’re not really limited to one make or model. As long as you have the base’s hub and QR, the Mayaris 2 will work without a hitch via a USB connection.

Value for money

Well, when it comes to value for money, this is going to hurt. Count on €1,360 in stock configuration, i.e. with 4 rear pallets, and this price is exclusive of tax. In France, it comes to around €1,630 including VAT, without options. If you tick all the boxes, like the pallets and the Asetek QR, the Mayaris 2 comes to almost €2,000 incl. VAT, and that hurts the wallet, and the value for money too.

My verdict on Rexing’s Mayaris 2 steering wheel

Here’s what I really think of Rexing’s Mayaris 2. It’s without doubt the best Formula steering wheel I’ve ever tested. With its magnificent design, exceptional build quality and enormous customization potential, it’s a must-have for Formula 1 pros.

If you can afford it, and it costs a lot more than a top-of-the-range setup from Fanatec or Simagic, go for it without too much hesitation if you mainly race Formula. This steering wheel will change your life and your vision of sim-racing.