A smarter and more usable evolution of Fanatec’s long-running Formula wheel, even if it still is not the bigger leap many sim racers had been hoping for.
Fanatec’s Formula wheels have been revised so many times now that they have become a running joke. For years, sim racers have been asking for a more substantial step forward, particularly a Formula wheel with a SimHub-compatible colour display.
That is what makes the ClubSport Formula V3 such an interesting release.
At first glance, it is easy to look at this wheel and feel a little underwhelmed. It is not the big, all-new Formula wheel many people had hoped for. Instead, what Fanatec has delivered here is another revision of a very familiar concept.
But that does not automatically make it a bad update.
Once you get past that initial reaction, there are some genuinely worthwhile changes here. The larger display is the obvious one, but more importantly, Fanatec has addressed some of the practical usability issues that have followed these wheels around for years.
So the real question with the ClubSport Formula V3 is not whether it is the wheel everybody was dreaming of. It is whether these changes are enough to make it meaningfully better where it actually counts.
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VALUE:
Launching at $349.99 USD / €349.95 / $499.99 CAD / $599.90 AUD, the ClubSport Formula V3 is priced about where you would expect for a wheel like this within Fanatec’s ecosystem. For existing Fanatec users, that makes it fairly easy to justify.
The challenge is that the wider market has moved on. While the V3 does bring some worthwhile improvements, particularly in usability and versatility, it is still not the more ambitious next-generation Formula wheel many people were hoping for. That makes the value proposition feel a little less clear-cut once you start comparing it to what else is available around this price.
So while it makes sense in the context of the Fanatec ecosystem, it is not quite the obvious value win it might once have been.
Fanatec ClubSport Formula V3
Current Prices
Features:
Feature-wise, the ClubSport Formula V3 is less about doing anything radically new and more about improving the parts of the wheel that actually matter in day-to-day use.
The most obvious change is the move to a larger 2.7-inch OLED display, the same screen used in the DD1, DD2, and Podium Button Module Endurance. This is a meaningful improvement over the tiny screen Fanatec has stuck with for so long. It still is not the SimHub-compatible colour display many people have been asking for, but it does make the tuning menus easier to use and gives you access to much more data while driving.
Beyond that, Fanatec has made a series of smaller but genuinely worthwhile updates. The wheel is now 290mm rather than 270mm, you now get two 7-way funky switches, more flexible rotary functionality with all three front-face knobs now able to operate as either rotary encoders or multi-position switches, as well as improved thumb encoders that feel more defined and now add push-button functionality too.
Fanatec has also retained the RevLED strip across the top of the wheel, along with the integrated FlagLEDs, which continue to be one of the more useful parts of the overall package. They add a lot to the at-a-glance usability of the wheel, particularly when combined with the larger display and Fanatec’s broader telemetry integration.
The magnetic shifters are also carried over, and that is no bad thing. They remain quiet, crisp, and well judged in their feel, without being overly loud or aggressive. For most users, they will get the job done perfectly well, while those wanting more functionality still have the option of stepping up to the Podium Advanced Paddle Module which adds analog clutch paddles.
So while this is still very much an evolution of the same basic Formula wheel Fanatec has been refining for years, it does at least feel like a smarter and more usable one, with genuine practical benefits.
DRIVING EXPERIENCE:
On track, the ClubSport Formula V3 feels like a more natural and better balanced version of Fanatec’s long-running Formula wheel.
The biggest factor here is the move to a 290mm diameter. That extra size gives the wheel a more stable and composed feel in your hands, which suits a wider range of cars than the older 270mm versions. It still works well for high-downforce formula cars, but it also feels much more at home in GT3 machinery, where the smaller wheel could sometimes feel a little too nervous or darty.
Just as importantly, Fanatec has handled that size increase properly. The controls are still easy to reach, so the wheel does not feel like it has been made larger at the expense of usability. It still has that compact Formula-style feel, just with a little more maturity to the overall driving experience.
The only real trade-off is that the larger rim does add a little more leverage and damping, which can slightly soften the feel of force feedback on weaker wheelbases. That was one of the advantages of the old 270mm design on older wheel bases like the CSL Elite or ClubSport Wheel Base V2.5. But on modern direct drive bases, especially anything above around 8Nm, that compromise becomes insignificant.
So while the ClubSport Formula V3 does not completely transform the driving experience, it does feel more settled, more versatile, and better judged than the Formula wheels Fanatec has offered before.
Build Quality:
Build quality with the ClubSport Formula V3 feels very familiar, and that is both a strength and a limitation.
On the plus side, the fundamentals are still good. You have a similarly designed 5mm carbon fibre front plate, replaceable perforated leather grips, and magnetic shifters that continue to feel crisp without being excessively loud. The included metal QR2 is also a welcome inclusion, offering good rigidity and easy operation without forcing you into the extra cost of the more premium-looking QR2 Pro.
At the same time, this is not a wheel that feels like a complete reinvention from a materials or construction point of view. Much of it is still recognisably the same Formula wheel Fanatec has been refining for years, right down to the rubberised plastic rear housing. It all feels solid enough in use, but it does not give you the sense of stepping into an entirely new generation of hardware.
Fanatec’s Formula wheels have also had a somewhat inconsistent history with creaking, with some units developing noise or even cracking over time while others have remained perfectly fine. That does not seem to have been fully resolved with the V3. While the wheel generally feels well built and solid in normal driving, there is still a small amount of creaking if you deliberately twist it aggressively. This was not an issue at all for us in normal driving conditions at high force feedback strengths, but it does leave a slight question mark over long-term consistency.
So overall, the ClubSport Formula V3 is a solidly built wheel, but it is more a case of proven construction with a few familiar caveats than a major leap forward in build quality.
SOFTWARE:
Software is one of the areas where the ClubSport Formula V3 quietly adds to the ownership experience.
Fanatec’s ecosystem is mature at this point, and that shows in day-to-day use. Profile management is straightforward, tuning changes are easy to make, and the overall interface is simple enough to use without feeling stripped back. That makes it easy to adjust the wheel to different sims, driving styles and personal preference, without turning the process into a chore, even on console.
On PC, you get a good amount of flexibility over how the wheel behaves, from button mapping and rotary functions through to display pages, LED behaviour, and visual alerts. That configurability helps the V3 feel useful in practice, but is definitely a long way short of the customization that comes from a sim-hub compatible colour screen.
So while the software is not a headline-grabbing part of the package, it is polished, practical, and an important part of what makes the Formula V3 easy to live with.
Conclusion:
For PlayStation users looking for a Formula or GT3 wheel to pair with a GT DD Pro or ClubSport DD+, the ClubSport Formula V3 is now the benchmark for native compatibility, with all the functionality you need to adjust in-car parameters on the fly.
On PC, the picture is a little different. If you are willing to step outside the Fanatec ecosystem using the new Fanatec Wheel Hub, there are now more options from brands like Simagic and Conspit. But if your priority is a fully integrated full-colour display, you will likely need to spend significantly more than you would on the Formula V3.
There is still a clear gap above this wheel for a Podium-tier Formula wheel that is more ambitious, more premium, and more expensive. But while the ClubSport Formula V3 is not quite the wheel many people had been waiting for, it still offers good value for money given its functionality, build quality, and overall user experience.
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Pros
- Larger 290mm diameter improves stability and versatility
- Bigger display offers significant usability upgrade
- Strong control layout with good ergonomics
- Stiffer thumb encoder detents
- Quiet, snappy magnetic shifters
- Easy to live with day to day
- Strong value overall
Cons
- Not a full-colour SimHub-compatible display
- Same general design we have seen for many years
- Minor creaking has not been fully eliminated
- Less compelling for PC users with broader options
- Leaves room for a more premium and expensive Podium-tier alternative
By purchasing through links on this page you’ll be supporting Boosted Media at no additional cost to you! This option is available for a huge range of Sim Racing gear.
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