A miniature single-seater at arm's length

When you first get your hands on the ClubSport Formula V2.5, everything about it screams “single-seater.” The 270 mm diameter, the compact shape, the abundance of buttons, and the display housed at the top of the rim: this is clearly a steering wheel designed for F1, prototypes, and modern GTs—not a classic, large GT wheel. Fanatec didn’t set out to reinvent the Formula’s design—it simply refined it. The major upgrade in this V2.5 is the magnetic paddle shifters, which now come standard, and that’s precisely what won us over once we hit the track.

Carbon, aluminum, and leather

The build quality is the first thing that stands out. The front plate is made of 5 mm solid carbon fiber—a stack of about thirty layers of unidirectional fabric—and you can really feel it: no flex, total rigidity. The paddle modules are made of machined aluminum, and the grips are made of perforated genuine leather, with rubberized surfaces around the buttons and under the thumbs. The whole thing feels like durable hardware, not cheap, creaky plastic. On the scale, it comes in at around 1,250 g, which isn’t exactly light, but once clipped onto the base, the inertia disappears and the steering wheel handles with great precision. It’s the kind of build quality that makes it worth keeping this steering wheel for years to come—and explains why it holds its value so well on the used market.

Magnetic paddles are a game-changer

The pre-installed ClubSport Magnetic Paddle Module consists of two pairs of 3-mm black anodized aluminum paddles, operated by neodymium magnets. In practice, each gear shift features a short travel, a crisp engagement point, and a firm return, without the mushy or spongy feel sometimes found elsewhere. When driving at a steady pace—whether shifting up during acceleration or downshifting while braking—the tactile feedback is immediate and consistent, which really helps you find your rhythm. And for those who want to take it further, the module can be replaced with the Podium Advanced Paddle Module, which adds analog paddles (clutch, additional inputs). It’s this modular approach—a hallmark of Fanatec—that makes the steering wheel upgradeable.

Here's what it looks like once it's out on the track

What impressed us most about this steering wheel was the clarity of the feedback it provides. Paired with a high-quality direct-drive system, it translates even the slightest variation in grip into a distinct sensation in the palms. We’re not talking about brute force but about responsiveness: when entering a turn, you can feel the front end starting to slide well before it actually loses traction, and you can lift off the throttle or ease off just a hair at the right moment. During hard braking, the vibrations that travel up through the steering wheel as the wheels approach lockup provide genuinely useful information—not just window dressing. And over speed bumps, the steering wheel remains firm in your hands without ever feeling jittery. The compact diameter helps enormously in this regard: corrections are small, quick, and precise—exactly what you’d expect from a single-seater steering wheel. Whether on a long run in a prototype or during a qualifying session aiming for the perfect lap, this precision makes all the difference—you dare to push the car closer to the limit because you understand what it’s telling you.

OLED and LEDs: A Dashboard in the Palm of Your Hand

At the top of the rim, the one-inch OLED screen (128 x 64) displays useful information while riding: speed, gear, telemetry data, and even lets you adjust certain settings on the fly while riding. It’s a real step up from a simple LED strip—you can read it at a glance without taking your eyes off the track. Above that, the RevLEDs feature nine multicolored LEDs for engine RPM and the optimal shift point, while the two sets of FlagLEDs (three LEDs each) indicate wheel spin, flags, or the pit limiter. When used effectively by the game, this trio of displays and LEDs transforms the rim into a true command center. It’s worth noting that these functions depend on each simulation’s support, and that during marathon sessions, some users have experienced the display or LEDs briefly “taking a nap” before resuming, with no impact on driving.

Buttons, encoders, and FunkySwitch: the control panel

The Formula V2.5 offers everything you need to map an entire car without taking your hands off the wheel: eleven buttons, two two-position toggles, two twelve-position rotary controls with encoder functionality, a 7-way FunkySwitch (directional pad plus pushbutton plus encoder), a mini analog joystick, and two thumb-operated encoders accessible while driving. On paper, that’s up to 67 functions that can be adjusted directly. In practice, it’s a treat for anyone who loves to tweak brake bias, TC, ABS, and the like throughout a lap. The only real downside we’ve noticed—and it comes up time and again during tests—is that the rotary encoders can be a bit finicky at times: sometimes slow to respond, other times too easy to turn accidentally when you’re just trying to press them. It doesn’t ruin the experience, but for fine-tuning adjustments in the heat of the race, we would have liked a bit more resistance.

Long-lasting comfort and ease of use

During long sessions, the perforated leather and rubberized areas provide a secure grip; sweat doesn’t compromise the grip, and your thumbs naturally rest on the encoders and the FunkySwitch. The downside to all these features is the learning curve: for a beginner, the sheer number of controls is downright intimidating, and it takes a little time to figure out where each function is and memorize it. This is a steering wheel that rewards the effort you put into it—it’s not a “plug-and-play” option for first-time users.

Compatibility: The Key Point to Keep in Mind

This version of Formula V2.5 is designed for PC (fully compatible with Windows) and PlayStation: on PS4, functionality may be limited by the console, and for the PS5, you’ll need to check the compatibility page based on your setup. However, it is not compatible with Xbox. To play on Xbox, you’ll need the Formula V2.5 X version, which is nearly identical. Another key point: the steering wheel alone is not enough; it requires a compatible Fanatec base, which is not included. The list is extensive (ranging from the CSL DD and Gran Turismo DD Pro to the Podium DD1 and DD2, including the ClubSport DD and DD+), with older bases requiring a QR1 quick-release mechanism, while the rim comes with a QR2 quick-release on the steering wheel side. So this is a closed ecosystem that you’ll have to accept.

Who is it for, and our verdict

The ClubSport Formula V2.5 is designed for regular or experienced drivers who primarily race in single-seaters, prototypes, or modern GT cars, and who already own a Fanatec base or plan to purchase one. It offers high-end build quality, magnetic paddles that work flawlessly, a genuine OLED and LED dashboard, and on-track visibility that helps you drive faster. The only drawbacks are the encoders—which could be improved—the requirement to stick with the Fanatec ecosystem, and a price point that limits it to true enthusiasts. For those who meet these criteria, it’s a steering wheel you’d buy again in a heartbeat.