A steering wheel that lives up to its single-seater aspirations

As soon as you take it out of the box, the Formula V2.5 X makes its intentions clear. Its compact 270-mm rim, carbon-fiber front plate, and Alcantara-wrapped spokes immediately place it in the category of steering wheels designed for single-seaters and GT cars. This isn’t a versatile accessory you can slap onto just any setup—it’s the top-of-the-line model in the ClubSport lineup, with the added bonus of Xbox compatibility. We wanted to see if the driving experience lived up to the promises on the spec sheet.

Carbon that doesn't bend

The construction combines a metal frame with a 5-mm-thick solid carbon front plate, said to consist of about thirty layers of carbon fiber. You can feel the difference right away in your hands. When you deliberately pull and push on the temples, there’s no flex, no creaking, and no play. The weight of about 1.25 kg provides a reassuring solidity without making the steering feel heavy. The Alcantara on the grips offers a firm grip and a pleasant feel, but as we know, this material requires gloves and a bit of maintenance to prevent it from becoming shiny over time. That’s the trade-off of a premium finish.

A comprehensive dashboard at your fingertips

What makes this steering wheel impressive is the density of its controls. It features eleven buttons, two thumb encoders, two two-position toggle switches, two twelve-position rotary selectors, a mini analog stick, and a seven-way FunkySwitch that also functions as a button and a scroll wheel. In the center, a 1-inch OLED screen (128x64) displays telemetry, flanked by nine RevLEDs for gear shift points and FlagLEDs that indicate wheel spin, flags, and the pit limiter. The ClubSport magnetic paddle module is pre-installed, complete with its aluminum plates and neodymium magnets. This allows you to control up to sixty functions without letting go of the steering wheel.

On the track: What It Really Feels Like

It’s only when you hold the controller in your hands that the V2.5 X truly comes into its own. Its light weight and small diameter allow the haptic feedback from the base to come through without any unwanted interference, giving you a reassuringly clear sense of the front end as you enter a turn. Under load or when leaning into a turn, no flex distorts the feedback. The two vibration motors housed in the grips add a welcome layer of immersion, with engine-speed effects that you can feel vibrating in your palms as the revs rise. The magnetic shift paddles click with a crisp, clean sound—without being noisy—making it a real pleasure to shift through the gears during a fast lap in F1 or ACC. During long sessions, the ergonomics hold up well for average-sized hands; everything falls naturally under your fingers. Two honest caveats, however: the thumb encoders felt too light to us, which makes it difficult to precisely adjust the brake balance mid-turn, and those with larger hands may find the rim a bit cramped. We also noticed that the screen and LEDs occasionally cut out—a glitch that may be addressed in a future firmware update.

Compatibility and Prerequisites

An important point not to overlook: This steering wheel only works when paired with a compatible Fanatec base, sold separately. Its strength lies in the built-in Xbox chip: it works on Xbox One and Series X|S with a compatible base, on Windows PCs where all features are guaranteed, and on both PS4 and PS5 only if mounted on a licensed PlayStation base. Current versions come with the QR2 quick-release mechanism on the steering wheel side, whereas the first units still featured the older QR1. This is a detail to check depending on the batch, but it’s a step in the right direction.

Who should consider this

The Formula V2.5 X is designed for sim racers who already own a Fanatec base and want a high-performance steering wheel for single-seaters and GT racing. Beginners or those primarily interested in rally racing and general sim racing should look elsewhere. But for precise driving in F1, ACC, or iRacing, this is a precise, rigid, and feature-rich tool.