Fanatec ClubSport GT Cockpit - Detailed Review

Pricing

With a starting price of US$1000 for the base cockpit without a seat, US$1349.99 with the Fanatec GT Cockpit Seat and around US$2000 fully kitted out, the Fanatec ClubSport GT Cockpit is firmly in premium territory. That puts it up against some of the most rigid and adaptable aluminium profile cockpits on the market, which sets a high bar for what you should expect in terms of performance.

While Fanatec does include a long list of optional accessories—like the shifter and handbrake mount, keyboard tray, mouse tray, monitor mount, and even a seat slider—some of these are relatively basic in execution. The inclusion of these extras adds convenience, but doesn’t entirely justify the steep markup when compared to more rigid profile-based options that often come in cheaper, especially when factoring in additional mounts, upgrades and accessories.

It’s also worth noting that the seat, sold separately at $349.95 USD, while looking the part, has some important caveats that we will explore in detail later on.

If you’re invested in the Fanatec ecosystem and value aesthetic cohesion or convenience, the pricing might make sense. But for those purely focused on performance, there are many compelling options in this bracket.

What could have been one of the better assembly experiences we’ve had—with excellent packaging, clear instructions, labelled parts and hardware, and an overall straightforward process—was let down by a number of frustrating gremlins.

The most widespread issue we encountered was painted threads. It appears the cockpit was powder-coated after the holes were tapped, meaning many of the screws had to cut new threads as they went in. In our case, more threads had this problem than didn’t. This not only added significant time to the build, but also made it feel like a rushed or unfinished product in places.

We also ran into issues with misaligned captive nuts—particularly on the monitor stand and some parts of the main frame. These nuts are welded into the steel tubing and in several cases weren’t lined up properly, making it either extremely difficult or outright impossible to thread the bolts without cross-threading. We were eventually able to get it all together, but only with a lot of patience and careful re-threading.  Once it’s all together this is no issue, but it did detract from the overall experience significantly and will likely cause issues in the future if we need to dismantle the cockpit to relocate it.

When talking to other users of this cockpit through our social media channels it seems around 50% of people with this cockpit have experience similar issues to what we have had.

That said, the instructions themselves are among the best we’ve seen—detailed, clearly illustrated, and matched to well-organised hardware packaging. There is also a video assembly guide available. If it weren’t for the hardware issues, this would have been a standout assembly experience, even for first-time builders.

The Fanatec ClubSport GT Cockpit presents as a premium product at first glance, with a solid-looking matte black powder-coated steel frame and clean branding. Structurally, the main chassis is very rigid once assembled, and there’s minimal flex under load.

But while the core frame is solid, some of the critical components feel underbuilt for a cockpit at this price point. The wheel deck, pedal tray, and seat mounts are all made from relatively thin materials, and there’s noticeable flex in all these areas.

The same applies to the seat construction. While the fixed-back seat looks the part visually, and is quite comfortable, the shell and mounting has significant flex which is quite noticeable while driving and introduces movement that undermines the otherwise solid platform.

These aren’t catastrophic issues, but they do represent a missed opportunity. The overall design is clever and well thought out, but the execution is let down by cost-saving choices in material thickness where it really counts.

The standout feature of the ClubSport GT Cockpit’s wheel deck is its wide range of quick, tool-free front to back adjustment. Thanks to it’s sturdy rail slider with internal bearings and a ratcheting clamp mechanism, you can slide the wheel deck forward and back, and adjust angle with ease. It’s a genuinely well-thought-out system, especially for rigs shared between drivers or those who regularly change seating position.

What surprised us most is how little additional flex this adjustment mechanism introduces. Despite the moving parts, it remains impressively stable once locked down.

Unfortunately, the actual deck plate is where things fall short. On both the bottom and front mount wheel deck options, the steel used is quite thin, and under load—especially with higher-torque bases—it does flex. That flex may not look severe, but it’s enough to absorb the finer detail in force feedback. It’s a disappointing compromise in what’s otherwise a very clever design.

If Fanatec had opted for a thicker or reinforced plate here, this could have been a standout feature. Instead, it’s a strong concept that doesn’t quite deliver where it counts.

Much like the wheel deck, the pedal tray on the ClubSport GT Cockpit benefits from clever and easy-to-use adjustment. With the same rail system as the wheel deck, your pedals  can to be repositioned smoothly forwards or backwards through a huge range of movement. There’s also angle and height adjustment for dialing in a more GT or formula-like driving position, or quick adjustments for driver changes from adults to kids!

Functionally, this makes it one of the easiest pedal trays to adjust we’ve seen. The markings on the frame are also a nice touch, making it easy to repeat setups between drivers or when switching between car types.

Unfortunately, the execution falls short in terms of rigidity. The pedal tray itself is made from relatively thin steel just like the wheel deck, and even moderate brake pressure reveals some flex. It’s particularly noticeable when using high-end load cell or hydraulic pedals, where firmness and precision are most important.

The design concept is spot-on. But as with the wheel deck, Fanatec’s choice to use thinner materials undermines what could have been one of the better pedal deck designs on the market.

The optional Fanatec GT Cockpit Seat, priced at US$349.95, is a fixed-back design that visually pairs well with the rest of the ClubSport GT Cockpit. It has a racy, aggressive look and offers good comfort, with supportive bolstering and good weight distribution for longer sessions.

One of the standout features here is the height adjustment mechanism. Using the same slotted mounting brackets with ratcheting bolts as the pedal and wheel decks, the seat can be raised or lowered with ease. It’s quick to adjust and stable once locked in, making it ideal for shared rigs where seat height needs to change frequently—even between adults and kids.

However, while the adjustability and appearance are strong points, the structural integrity of the seat falls short. The shell and mounting setup are both prone to noticeable flex—particularly during heavy braking or lateral load. We observed visible deformation at the rear of the seat, which detracts from the overall immersion and reduces the fidelity of braking feedback.

It’s worth noting that this won’t affect every user equally. Lighter drivers or those running lower brake forces may not notice it as much. But for anyone running load cell or hydraulic pedals—and especially heavier drivers—the lack of rigidity is hard to ignore.

A more rigid shell or reinforced mounting brackets would have gone a long way toward making this a compelling add-on for serious sim racers.

Adjustability is hands down the strongest aspect of the Fanatec ClubSport GT Cockpit. Across the main structure—seat, pedals, and wheel deck—you get a huge range of smooth, tool-free movement. Each uses a combination of internal roller bearings for front-to-back sliding, and slotted mounting brackets with ratcheting bolts for height and angle adjustments. The result is a system that’s fast, precise, and easy to lock in securely.

There’s limited height adjustment for the wheel deck itself, but in practice that’s not an issue. The range of movement and height adjustability in the seat and pedals more than compensates, allowing for a wide variety of seating styles and driver height without compromising on ergonomics.

From GT to Formula-style seating, the adjustability is excellent. The only real limitation is that the wheel deck can’t tilt upright enough for a true “truck mode” driving position. But for most use cases, this won’t be missed.

Where the ClubSport GT really shines is in multi-user environments. This is by far the easiest cockpit we’ve used for switching between adult and child driving positions. No tools, no taking gear off the rig—just quick, easy adjustments that make shared rigs genuinely practical.

Fanatec offers a broader range of accessories for the ClubSport GT Cockpit than most tube-style rigs, but the quality and practicality of those accessories leave a lot to be desired.

The shifter and handbrake mount is a standout disappointment. There’s significant flex under load—especially with higher-force hardware like Fanatec’s load cell handbrake—which undermines confidence, accuracy, and breaks immersion. It’s rigid enough for lighter gear, but nowhere near what you’d expect at this price point.

Other accessories like the side-mounted “wings” for button boxes, cameras, or speakers are also poorly conceived. The lack of T-Nut slots on the front face of the arms makes it somewhat useless for most accessories you are likely to want to place there.  Even their own marketing material shows an example that won’t actually work!

The integrated monitor mount is decent, with some height and depth adjustment, but lacks extensive adjustment that would enable you to get the monitor right up behind the wheel if you wish to do so. The freestanding monitor mount is a good option if you’re running larger displays, though it’s still a costly add-on. The PC tray is functional, but the design allows for metal-to-metal contact that could potentially cause rattling.

Crucially, you can’t easily mix and match accessory mounts from other brands. So if you plan on adding accessories like shifters, handbrakes, or peripheral mounts, the poor execution of the available options are a limiting factor.

If you don’t need to mount much more than a wheel and pedals, these shortcomings may not matter. But if expandability is important to your setup now—or might be in the future—it’s something worth seriously considering.

The Fanatec ClubSport GT Cockpit shows real promise in a few key areas—especially adjustability and modularity—but the final product falls short of what we’d expect at this price point.

On the surface, it offers a lot: tool-free sliding adjustments for seat, pedals, and wheelbase; optional integrated or freestanding monitor mounts; and more accessory options than most tube-style cockpits. But as we dug in, the limitations of the execution became apparent. Flex in the wheel deck, thin materials, cost-cutting on hardware tolerances, and a generally underwhelming level of refinement hold it back.

If you’re after a cockpit for casual driving with lighter gear—and you like the aesthetic—it could still be a compelling option. It’s particularly well-suited for families or setups shared between adults and kids, thanks to how quickly and easily the seating and pedal position can be adapted.

But if you’re using high-end gear and want long-term expandability with confidence-inspiring rigidity, you’ll likely find better value in a more simple aluminium profile rig.

Ultimately, it’s a solid starting point that could have been great—perhaps a future Podium version will fix these issues, however the price will need to be reassessed.