Fanatec’s ecosystem makes it easy to collect multiple rims: a round wheel for rally and drifting, a GT rim for road racing, a formula-style rim for open wheel cars. But many people buy the “coolest” rim first and then wonder why their steering feels awkward in certain games.
This guide helps you choose a wheel rim shape for your driving style, explains how rim choice interacts with rotation settings, and shows how to set up your cockpit so swapping rims doesn’t change your ergonomics.
Round vs GT vs formula style: the real differences
| Rim type | Best for | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| Round | Rally, drifting, road cars with large steering angles | Can feel “busy” in tight cockpit spaces; requires more clearance |
| GT (D-shape or GT wheel) | Most modern road and GT racing | Not ideal for extreme lock-to-lock drifting |
| Formula style | Formula cars, prototypes, cars with small steering angles | Harder for rally/drift because you need more rotation |
Rim choice and rotation: avoid the “wrong ratio” trap
Many sims let you change steering sensitivity, steering ratio, or degrees of rotation. The important point: if you change rotation in your wheel software, you can create a mismatch between your hands and the car’s steering lock. Forza Horizon 6’s wheel tuning guide calls this out explicitly and explains why steering sensitivity is often misunderstood.
Practical advice:
- For rally/drift with a round wheel, higher rotation feels natural.
- For formula/prototype with a formula rim, lower rotation often feels better.
- Keep your cockpit setup consistent so rim swaps don’t change your posture.
Clearance: your cockpit must fit your rim
Round rims need more space. If your wheel is too close to your thighs or your seat bolsters, you’ll hit things during counter-steer. This is where aluminium profile adjustability is a real advantage:
- Move the wheel up a little (reduces thigh contact).
- Move the seat back slightly and adjust pedal distance to keep your knee bend.
- Adjust the wheel tilt so your wrists stay neutral.
On SIMGASM cockpits, these adjustments are easy. Start with SIMGASM Club simulator or SIMGASM Sport simulator and use a strong mount like front wheel mount so the wheel position stays locked. If you want the maximum adjustment headroom, SIMGASM Pro simulator is the flagship option.
Rim choice by sim (a quick practical guide)
- Forza Horizon 6: round or GT rim for mixed driving; formula rim if you focus on road racing and want quick inputs.
- iRacing / ACC: GT rim for GT3/GT4; formula rim for open wheel; round rim for rallycross and drifting.
- EA Sports WRC: round rim for large steering angles and quick corrections.
Make rim swaps painless
Two upgrades make multiple-rim setups feel professional:
- A clean control zone: keyboard swivel mount and mouse tray so you can re-map quickly.
- A stable monitor setup: Apex freestanding triple monitor stand or Apex integrated triple monitor stand so your view stays aligned across driving styles.
Continue reading
- Forza Horizon 6 Fanatec settings
- FH6 steering sensitivity and linearity explained
- Triple monitors vs ultrawide vs VR
- Fanatec shifter and handbrake layouts
- Fanatec upgrade path
More Fanatec guides
- Fanatec sim racing setup hub: rigs, mounts and game settings
- Fanatec tuning menu explained: what SEN, NDP, NFR, NIN, INT and FEI actually do
- Fanatec CSL DD rig compatibility: mounts, stiffness and SIMGASM tier picks
- Fanatec cable management: stop USB dropouts and keep your rig serviceable
- Fanatec pedals mounting guide: CSL, Elite V2 and ClubSport V3 stability tips
