SimLab is best known for its highly advanced cockpits, but is also the official partner of Mercedes-AMG Petronas. The sim-racing peripherals brand equips the AMG team with cockpits for everything from simulation to eSport.

With a view to expanding its catalog, SimLab’s collaboration with Mercedes F1 has resulted in a brand-new, and above all first, sim-racing peripheral: the SimLab Mercedes AMG F1 steering wheel. It’s an official replica of the wheel fitted to Russell and Hamilton’s F1 cars, and if you can afford it, it could well be yours.

Steering wheel design

Not surprisingly, we find an F1 wheel with a very rectangular shape. Carbon fiber dominates the build, with some twenty controls at the front, as well as a huge screen and RevLED in the center.

It’s very F1 in design, with a diameter of 28 cm and a weight of 1.24 kg on the scale. This steering wheel is aimed at satisfying single-seater fans who not only have an almost unlimited bank account (because the beast is expensive), but also a specific setup.

Wheel ergonomics

The wheel’s diameter (28 cm) gives you a very good grip. What’s more, all the controls are distributed around the large screen, so they’re easily accessible on the fly, except for 3 encoders where you’ll have to take one hand off the handles to use them. But F1 drivers do the same, so…

As for the rear, there are a total of 4 paddles, a hub for the QR and 2 buttons. 2 of the paddles are in carbon fiber and Push Pull too, which enhances the overall ergonomics of the steering wheel.

Steering wheel manufacture

The SimLab wheel uses carbon fiber for practically all its parts, except for a few that are aluminum, notably 2 paddles and the hub. The grips are silicone, and a well-made one at that. If you use it without gloves, you won’t have any problems on short sim-racing sessions, I imagine. But the immersion will be less, so it’s better to dive right into the F1 bath, don’t you think?

When it comes to build quality, it’s premium, as we’re used to seeing at SimLab. There’s great attention to detail throughout, with parts that fit together perfectly.

Price and compatibility of the Mercedes AMG F1 steering wheel from SimLab

For compatibility, this steering wheel will only work on PC. As far as bases are concerned, there’s a hub on the rear with a 3×70 mm mount, and it should work with virtually all Quick Releases on the market, with a few exceptions.

SimLab’s Mercedes AMG F1 steering wheel retails at €2,699, making it the most expensive steering wheel on the market, and clearly aimed at pro and eSport drivers.