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The world of virtual racing is speeding along at an unprecedented speed. The market for global racing simulators was pegged at USD 467.77 Mn in 2023, with a CAGR of over 15%, during the forecast period 2023 to 2032, driven by the rising trend of esports and ever-growing demand for realism.
This trend in esports is mostly poignant in India, where new generations of gamers are realizing that the device in their hands can be used to convert plain vanilla gaming into a serious racing cockpit. From casual players to sim racers, it all starts by unlocking what lies beyond a controller—by upgrading to a proper racing steering wheel and pedals. In these pages, we will look at the range of car wheel accessories that make up the core of any serious rig, so you know what's what with simulator accessories.
At the heart of it all is the main car wheel accessory and its modules that constitute the main (and physical) link between you and the virtual car. Unlike a retro arcade game controller, this set-up and ecosystem is geared towards providing you with the same haptic feedback, precision, and control that you would get from a real car.
It has grown through several iterations from first, crude gear-driven modules to far more refined, high-fidelity artefacts, now nearly impossible to differentiate from the real-world equivalent in a racing simulator. Not toys per se, but precision simulators.
Understanding the parts to comprehend the system, it's best to dissect it. In general, most setups involve four major components that work together to enable the driving experience.
1. The Wheel Base
The centre of the system is where the motor lives, and it is with this motor that you get the force feedback, a technology that passes the behaviour of the virtual vehicle (tyre slip, road surface, suspension load) straight into your hands. The motor type (gear, belt, or direct drive) and power are the two key differences with how realistic you'll feel your feedback. If you are comparing options, start with dedicated wheel bases.
2. The Steering Wheel Rim
This is what you grab hold of. Rims can have different appearances, sizes, and shapes, based on racing wheels for rally cars or classic-round rim wheels, to a more modern style with multiple small buttons and rotary controls for quick settings changes.
This one can be chosen based on the type of cars driven most commonly. The material used on the rim also makes a difference—anywhere from Alcantara, textured, and grip-friendly to smooth leather. For rally-style driving, a wheel like the Fanatec CSL Elite WRC Rally Sim Racing Steering Wheel is a strong example, while Alcantara fans may appreciate the Thrustmaster T300 Ferrari Integral RW Alcantara. Browse more racing steering wheels to match your driving style.
3. Pedals
Though not technically of the wheel, it is impossible to have a wheel without pedals. Today's sim racing pedals (even plastic ones) like the load cell that work on a pressure sensor, some will record the pressure exerted on the brake rather than the distance traveled in the pedal, like the real car hydraulic brakes. This gives much more repeatable and precise braking. A dedicated Fanatec CSL Pedal Load Cell Kit is a good example of how this technology improves brake feel.
4. Shifters & Handbrakes
To fill out the rest of the driving controls, buy a sequential or H-pattern shifter for changing gears, as well as a handbrake for drifting and rally driving. These are commonly available as standalone car wheel accessories to be mounted next to your wheel and pedals. You can explore simulator handbrakes and other simulator accessories to complete the setup.
Searching for the 'best' equipment is not really a matter of locating the single best product but rather a matter of locating the right combination of components to cater to the way you drive, your requirements, and your budget. Explore the wider range of simulators to understand what fits your goals.
What may be appropriate for a professional esports driver is more than necessary for casual enthusiasts. The goal is to develop a system that evolves with your skills and increases immersion.
Choosing a Wheelbase: The Heart of Your Car Wheel Accessories
Your wheelbase is the most important part of any setup. This is where you will not only choose the quality of the force feedback (your main sensory link with the sim), but this is where you'll determine everything else. A high-quality option like the Fanatec CSL DD QR2 Wheel Base shows how much difference a modern base can make.
Direct Drive Racing Wheel
This is the best possible equipment for sim racing, a direct drive wheelbase connects the steering wheel directly to a powerful servo motor without using any gears or belts providing you with very quick, very detailed and very strong force feedback.
You can feel every bit of grip or lack of grip and the second you lose grip or the second a tyre locks. It is more expensive but also gives the most immersive and realistic experience possible in your home. For a premium direct-drive option, look at the Moza R21 Wheelbase.
Belt-Driven Wheelbases
A considerable upgrade from entry-level models. These use a belt and pulley system to transfer power from the motor to the wheel shaft—removing much of the "notchy" feel linked to gear-driven wheels while providing a less harsh feedback sensation that feels a lot more natural. This combination of performance, feel, and affordability is why so many intermediate sim racers choose to use them. A popular example is the Logitech G923 Racing Wheel and Pedal, while the Thrustmaster T248R Racing Wheel and Pedal is another route to consider.
Gear-Driven Wheelbases
Widely used for budget entry-level packages, gear-driven wheelbases operate with a system of gears to provide the force feedback. They are the cheapest option available but they feel coarse and noisy with a dead zone in the middle. A budget-friendly starting point like the Nitho Drive Pro One V24 Gaming Racing Wheel and Pedals can get you on track, and you can compare more racing steering wheels as you progress.
With how coarse they feel, this type of force feedback is fine to get you off the ground, but you will soon outgrow this type of system as most racers strive for a smoother and more detailed feedback.
So, making the decision about your wheelbase is the most important decision you will make. It is at the core of your driving and the end of what is possible with car wheel accessories.
There is a world of potential still into the evolution of the racing simulator. It's not just the hardware, the soul of the simulator, but the software as well. If the advances in driving physics, artificial intelligence, and online integration keep up, the racing world will get longer and harder. The difference between simulation and a (video) game will fade more and more. For the hardware side, simulation gaming PCs and simulator accessories will continue to matter.
The Next Generation of Virtual Racing
The future generation of racing games on this new generation of hardware is delving into several narrow areas of innovation:
1. More advanced physics and tyre models: The sims of the future will have more complex physics engines like, for example, more advanced tyre deformation models that try to represent how a tyre shape is modified in use, or complex aerodynamic simulations that follow different levels of downforce when you follow your opponent closely.
2. Artificial Intelligence - The first massive change that is going to happen in the next gen of racing games is in artificial intelligence. Imagine vehicles that have their own personality, learn race craft, make mistakes, adapt their line to you and race you wheel to wheel whether putting you in the wall or you putting them in the wall.
3. Further Esports Involvement and Online Focus: Sim racing has already established itself as a leading esports discipline. Future racing brands are being designed with online competition at their foundation. This fosters integrated tiered leaderboard management, well-embedded matchmaking functionality. Events like the SimRacing Expo Frankfurt 2026 exemplify the regular convergence between hardware and software whereby this expanding industry will flourish.
These titles will even further push the limits of modern car wheel accessories, meaning that investing in quality hardware will be even more worthwhile.
We don't know the model to be exact, but we do understand what kind of simulator Max Verstappen would use when he trains at home. When an elite F1 driver like Max trains off the circuit, they don't have any kind of average monitor - they use a machine for the sole purpose of training and honing skills.
Inside a Professional-Grade Simulator
A professional home F1 simulator is a purpose-built high-fidelity training unit. The absolute aim is to be no distinction between the sim and the real car.
1. The most powerful hardware they have is the absolute, ultra-high-precision direct drive racing wheel on the market today. Sometimes with special hardware or custom firmware. This gives them the best possible sensation of even very small movements of grip and car balance, which are often key for gaining those final tenths of a second.
2. "Hardened" Pedals: F1 drivers use highly advanced load-cell or hydraulically improved pedal sets that can simulate the huge forces of an accurate F1. This is a must in the professional realm. A set like the Fanatec ClubSport V3 Pedals is built for this kind of serious load-cell braking.
3. Immersive screen and motion: Their equipment usually consists of triple 4K screens or top-level VR headsets with the largest field of view possible. Almost all include a motion platform, which moves the cockpit around in correlation with the images being displayed on the screens, this way representing collisions, bumps, and cornering forces. This physical immersion is necessary to train the body. For display quality, a 4K gaming monitor can make a big difference, while VR gaming PCs support headset-based immersion. A Next Level Racing Motion Platform V3 shows how motion is added to a serious Playseat Trophy Sim Racing Red Cockpit.
The setups show that something like this is a job for the experts. They don't hold back with the car wheel accessories and parts and show simulation in the best possible way.
To sum up, creating an awesome sim racing setup is a process. Just take these points into account as a quick checklist:
Here is a list of what you should focus on as you develop and improve your virtual racing cockpit.
Sim racing has never been more accessible or more realistic. Starting from an entry-level gaming wheel for PC to a professional-grade rig, this adventure is on a continuous path of enhancement for realism.
The answer is to select the best car wheel accessories out there that fit your ambitions, and give the kind of tactile feedback to shave seconds from your lap times. At The IT Gear, we have a hand-picked choice of quality sim racing equipment to help you get closer to your ideal setup.
What is the best equipment for racing simulators?
Which is the 'best' bit of equipment is highly subjective, and depends on the level of money you are willing to spend. The ideal would seem to be to use a direct drive wheelbase, a load-cell pedal set, and a stiff cockpit. For a beginner, a decent belt-driven wheel and pedal set is a good choice.
What are some upcoming racing simulators?
Race sims of the future will use more sophisticated physics and AI. Look for more realistic tyre behaviour and smarter, more human-like opponents, plus better online support for esports. Hardware shows such as the SimRacing Expo are often the best place to see this new tech. For the PC side, simulation gaming PCs and broader simulator hardware will keep evolving alongside the software.
What simulator does Max Verstappen use?
It would be interesting to know. Although we do not know what the specific simulator is, a professional driver like Max Verstappen (another current F1 driver, dominating Spain) would be using a high-quality, custom simulator. These high-end simulators often use a very strong, direct drive wheelbase, professional-level load-cell pedals, and sometimes a motion platform and VR to increase immersion.
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