The Fanatec McLaren GT3 V2 steering wheel has quickly become a best-seller for the German brand. The McLaren steering wheel replica has many trump cards up its sleeve. With an attractive price tag and good design quality, it’s particularly popular with players who want a versatile Formula-type steering wheel to complete their setup on a CSL DD or GT DD Pro base.
But before jumping in headlong, let’s take a closer look at this Fanatec steering wheel. Is this model really for you? Let’s find out!
The Fanatec McLaren GT3 V2 steering wheel from a technical point of view
- Base compatibility: All Fanatec bases. Consider the QR1 option for the full power of Direct Drive bases.
- Console compatibility: PC, X Box, Playstation
- Vibration: No
- Wheel diameter: 30cm
- Materials: plastic, aluminum, rubber
- Paddles: 2 magnetic Rocker-type paddles for shifting gears, 2 clutch paddles configurable via 4-position selector.
- Configurable buttons: 9 buttons, 2 12-position rotary encoders, 2 2-position switches, 1 4-position click and turn switch.
- Rev counter: No
- Display: 1-inch OLED
- Connections: Fanatec QR1 Lite
- Weight: 1.1Kg
Design and ergonomics
As usual, we start with the traditional unpacking of the box. We find the steering wheel (obviously), stickers to name the buttons. And a set of covers to customize them.
The steering wheel is an immediate eye-catcher, with its fine finish. Although the body is made of plastic, the carbon fiber effect gives it a professional look. The rubber grips are pleasantly soft under the fingers. The grip is comfortable, but of course, we’ll have to explore this subject further on the track.
Ergonomics are very well thought-out. At the same time, it’s a replica of the steering wheels used in the real McLaren GT3, so it would have been hard to miss the ergonomics of this steering wheel knowing that. Buttons are easily reached with the thumbs.
There are 6 clickable buttons, 2 larger clickable buttons protected by hoops to avoid clicking on them by mistake. 1 button assigned to the PC-settable X Box mode, accompanied by a LED indicating whether X Box mode is active. And 2 12-position rotary selectors, plus a 4-position selector for setting clutch paddles.
At the rear, there are 4 paddles. The two gearshift paddles are of the Rocker type. For those who can’t decipher the sometimes surprising language of simracers, this simply means that you can shift gears with one hand by either pulling or pushing one of the paddles.
However, it’s the finish of the clutch paddles that worries me. These two plastic paddles reveal their beehive-like internal construction. So when you’re driving, it’s the inside of the paddles that’s visible. A detail for some, personally I’d have liked the visible side of the pallet to be covered.
Installing the Fanatec CSL McLaren GT3 V2
The owner’s tour done, it’s time to plug the Fanatec McLaren GT3 V2 into its base. For this test, I’ll be using the Fanatec CSL DD that I often use for testing.
And here we come to a point that really bothers me. The Quick Release QR1 Lite. As a reminder, Fanatec now offers 2 different Quick Releases. The QR1 Lite, in plastic. And the “standard” aluminum QR1.
With the QR1 Lite, there are two concerns. The first is flexibility. When you lock your steering wheel to the base, you’ll notice that you can twist it very slightly by pushing on one side or the other.
This is not a problem for low-power bases like the CSL Elite, or the CSL DD and GT DD Pro without Booster Kit. On the other hand, with more powerful bases, you may lose the small details sent by your force feedback. It also raises questions about the durability of this system. After all, you don’t want to break your Quick Release with a more powerful base.
BUT this problem finds its own solution (by posing a new problem). To make sure you don’t break your QR1 Lite, it features a push-button that snaps into the steering wheel itself. This little push-button tells the steering wheel that you’re on the Lite model. And if your baseplate’s power exceeds 8Nm, it will automatically be bridled to avoid catastrophe.
If you want to unclamp your Direct Drive base, you’ll need to buy the “standard” aluminum QR1. You’ll have all the power you want, but no more flexibility!
Fanatec McLaren GT3 V2 settings and compatibility
As with all Fanatec steering wheels, you can choose between :
- Make your settings directly on the Fanalab software
- Modify your settings via the steering wheel’s OLED screen.
Your 5 force feedback settings can be saved on the wheel at any time and modified at will. It only takes 2 to 3 seconds to switch from one save to another. But you can also go into each save and fiddle with each setting, even when you’re on the track.
In terms of compatibility, Fanatec McLaren GT3 V2 is compatible with everything. PC, X Box and Playstation. This is certainly one of the keys to its commercial success.
Comfort and sensations, a bad start
Here we are, settling in comfortably and heading for the virtual track. Right from the very first laps, I had a problem. The QR1 Lite gives play between the wheel and the steering shaft. There’s a gap of one or two millimeters when I turn the wheel to one side or the other.
Worse still, when Flo takes it in her turn, the plastic QR causes a false contact that disconnects the steering wheel, leaving her in the middle of a bend with no force feedback! Unacceptable, I’m sure you’ll agree. So I take the aluminum Quick Release from another wheel, place it on top and resume testing.
QR changed, the McLaren can finally be discovered
Once the QR had been changed, everything went much better. Left-right flex is still a little present, but that’s due to the construction of the steering wheel. But the steering play has totally disappeared. Frankly, I wasn’t expecting much. And I have to say, for a €200 steering wheel, it does its job really well!
The grip is really good, the paddles fall naturally under your fingers and all the buttons are easily accessible. Most of them without having to let go of the grip. This isn’t leather or alcantara, but the rubber doesn’t feel unpleasant under the fingers. There’s none of the stickiness of some entry-level models. Anyway, you never ride without gloves! Do you? (Well, I confess I hardly ever wear them either…)
The 30cm diameter makes for precise steering on the track. And it’s still quick and lively (which is sometimes less the case with larger diameters). It’s a size that makes it highly versatile and equally suited to single-seater racing, GT3 or prototypes.
Finally, let’s not forget that you have a limited number of buttons, so versatility will have its limits. I do appreciate, however, that for an entry-level wheel, Fanatec took the trouble to install magnetic paddles. It really adds to immersion and a feeling of confidence “in your machine”.
I’d sum it up by saying it was a great riding experience. The Fanatec CSL McLaren GT3 V2 does its job very well, and for very little money!
Steering wheel customization
In addition to the sticker board and the covers to customize your buttons, think of the QR1.
We had 2 wheel disconnectionproblems with the QR1 Lite. On top of that, the plastic QR will bind your base. If you switch to a DD1 or DD2, for example, you won’t be able to take advantage of all its torque.
Changing Quick Release takes literally 3 minutes, and you’ll be able to unleash the full power of your base while forgetting all about the flexibility of the flywheel.
My verdict on the Fanatec CSL McLaren GT3 V2
