Thrustmaster has announced a new Evo Racing sim racing hub, alongside a fresh 32cm round leather steering wheel for its burgeoning range. We test it, alongside the T818 wheel base for the first time.
Images taken by OverTake
Over the past few months, we've not only seen a plethora of updates and new releases for sim racing platforms but also a bevy of new equipment to drive them with.
With a new wave of direct drive wheel base manufacturers entering the scene and delivering vast ecosystems to boot, you would be forgiven for overlooking one of the longest-established manufacturers: Thrustmaster.
But, following its T818 wheel base launching at the end of 2022, it is now slowly re-building its range of wheels to go with the base.
Its brand-new Evo Racing module marks a fresh sub-range for the brand - a hub that features buttons and LEDs, that can be paired with a new range of wheels and gearshift paddles. What that range entails right now is to be confirmed, but it is launching alongside the 'Evo Racing 32R Leather' wheel, and that's what we have on test here alongside the 10Nm T818 direct drive wheel base for PC.
I have good memories with them and they never disappointed. So, I was very happy to see that the French manufacturer is back on the market with a new development.
This Evo Racing 32R Leather is a spherical wheel to fit onto the Evo Racing hub and will be released 2nd May 2024 at a price of €299.99/$299.99/£269.99.
Happily, it is compatible with both the current T818 wheel base and any old Thrustmaster wheel base that has a quick release. This is because it comes with both old and new adaptors in the box
Thrustmaster calls this the "NEW EVOLUTIVE RANGE" which allows for more customisation, when the rest of the matching raunch is released that is.
You get 25 action buttons, four rotary encoders that are not multi-position switches and the thumb button modules can even be adjusted in position. The long, curved magnetic paddle shifters are designed for rally drivers and are also adjustable. Above all, they are very well damped, among the quietest paddles I have driven in recent times.
When I saw the wheel module, I thought the pattern might fit the Porsche rim that I couldn't fit on the Cammus C12 without a spacer recently. But I was disappointed, Thrustmaster uses a smaller bolt pattern, so don't expect it to fit your collection or racing rims.
On the top, it has seven LEDs for your engine reves and flag information if telemetry is supported. The brightness for these is adjustable with the help of a dedicated button and the RPM indicator also has two different modes for blue or red lights when hitting your limiter.
It's a nice touch, and I have to say that the top-mount position of the LEDs really helps with peripheral vision. This feature feels a bit redundant when used with the T818, but more on that later.
Overall, this wheel reminds me of the CS V2P Wheel of Moza. It also costs exactly the same. I would prefer the Thrustmaster for its button layout, larger and more accessible paddle shifters, and LED placement.
Lower clutch paddles would have been a big plus, but I understand the rally focus and on consoles, you cannot use clutch paddles in most cases anyway.
Especially Thrustmaster's approach with an 'unfiltered', 'pure' force feedback system, straight from the racing titles, caught my attention.
While the wheelbase is surprisingly light at just 5kg, it could be a bit more compact. With a height of 7.1 inches or 18 centimetres, this is on the higher end of the spectrum of any wheelbase and when mounting, it really takes away some flexibility. Its shape can compromise finding an optimal flush position with your screens.
The design with the interchangeable dark blue metal plates is great and I am a big fan of the huge signature hexagonal LED. This integration is very clever, as the top part works as an RPM indicator when supported by the game's telemetry. It can even show flags or active pit limiters, three different modes can be selected to vary the display style. As mentioned earlier it can make LED lights on your wheel kind of obsolete.
The T818 introduced Thrustmaster's new quick release system and comes with an adapter to the old one to support your collection of wheels. Not to mention the LED hexagon has a nice effect, when removing and changing the wheel. This QR is very easy to use, a galaxy better than the old system where you even had to put a screw in. But it’s not the stiffest system on the market, so you will experience some flex.
Installation is straightforward and we were also able to test its brand-new software, which is still in beta. It’s very sleek and modern and I really like how it explains the damper and linearity settings even with graphs, so you know exactly what it means.
There are also different modes for reactivity and the sharpness of your FFB – I chose Performance. Then Thrustmaster makes it clear in both the manual and the software that the T818 is not intended to be a toy. Recommended from 21 years of age, activation of full forces only with confirmation.
Since the Evo Racing 32R Leather is designed primarily for rallying, we hit the EA Sports WRC stages first. From the start, the integration felt great - it had a predefined button layout and from the first moment of driving I had a strong and smooth feeling of what my car was doing, both on asphalt and in the gravel, over the crests and through dips.
The only downside: No telemetry support meant no working LEDs, yet. Otherwise, my honest thought is that this wheelbase, wheel and handbrake combination is one of the greatest options in terms of feedback for rallying and WRC in particular. 32 centimetres or 12,6 inches in diameter is also a great sweet spot for precision and feel.
Then Assetto Corsa Competizione with the Nordschleife is a new perfect testing ground for FFB and steering response and I started to feel some weaknesses. On this track, I just couldn't get a feel for what my car and tyres were doing when I pushed them to the limit.
The lift-off oversteer or understeer is barely noticeable, it felt very similar to the Cammus C12 - I wonder if the "no filter" policy has a downside here? Then the FFB clipping was a problem, lowering the gain to 75 per cent got rid of it for the most part, but then the overall feel was a little too soft. At least all the LED functions worked in ACC, this is really the title you can rely on when it comes to these extra features.
In line with previous experiences, the original AC has a better feel and also allows a bit more FFB gain before clipping. Still, the T818 would not be my first choice for AC or ACC.
It's a similar story with iRacing. As long as the car has a lot of grip and downforce, everything feels really good, the curbs, the bumps - everything is there, everything is very direct. But as soon as the tyres start to slip, nothing happens, which is a shame. Just a little bit of friction would help a lot. I soon learned that without damper and zero linearity it felt more raw – there was also never a bad level of oscillation for me.
Le Mans Ultimate turned the whole thing around for me. I'd say it's 10-20% better than iRacing and ACC, which is interesting because it's the exact opposite with the Fanatec DD+. I also grabbed the 488 steering wheel for the full Ferrari GTE immersion.
LMU showed me that you have to be really careful - at first, the FFB was not inverted, and it hit me hard in the hand. In an emergency, you can also turn the FFB off completely by pressing a button.
Thrustmaster's "no filter approach" is at least questionable, as I think some tweaking can really improve the experience with some titles. Also, the T818 desperately needs a PS5-compatible version, as the direct drive competition is very thin there.
For pure PC use, it is still competitive and a valid choice, but you must admit Moza does a great job offering the R12 for the same price, provided you keep in mind that the EU VAT is not included with Moza products and the T818 is actually made in France.
I hope Thrustmaster will follow up with more options for this Evo Racing Hub – as combined with the Racing 32R, it's an excellent choice for rally enthusiasts – and keeps improving the T818 line.
Please let us know about your experience with the T818, if you own one, in the comments below or via X, @OverTake_gg.
Images taken by OverTake
Over the past few months, we've not only seen a plethora of updates and new releases for sim racing platforms but also a bevy of new equipment to drive them with.
With a new wave of direct drive wheel base manufacturers entering the scene and delivering vast ecosystems to boot, you would be forgiven for overlooking one of the longest-established manufacturers: Thrustmaster.
But, following its T818 wheel base launching at the end of 2022, it is now slowly re-building its range of wheels to go with the base.
Its brand-new Evo Racing module marks a fresh sub-range for the brand - a hub that features buttons and LEDs, that can be paired with a new range of wheels and gearshift paddles. What that range entails right now is to be confirmed, but it is launching alongside the 'Evo Racing 32R Leather' wheel, and that's what we have on test here alongside the 10Nm T818 direct drive wheel base for PC.
What is the Thrustmaster Evo Racing?
Thrustmaster has a rich history in sim racing, releasing one of the first mass-market wheels for PC back in the '90s, the Formula T1. The TX, T300 RS and TS-XW were also my go-to wheels to play my beloved rally games seven-10 years ago, as well as the round-shaped add-ons like the 599XX or the Sparco R383 were a perfect fit.I have good memories with them and they never disappointed. So, I was very happy to see that the French manufacturer is back on the market with a new development.
This Evo Racing 32R Leather is a spherical wheel to fit onto the Evo Racing hub and will be released 2nd May 2024 at a price of €299.99/$299.99/£269.99.
Happily, it is compatible with both the current T818 wheel base and any old Thrustmaster wheel base that has a quick release. This is because it comes with both old and new adaptors in the box
Thrustmaster calls this the "NEW EVOLUTIVE RANGE" which allows for more customisation, when the rest of the matching raunch is released that is.
Hands-On With The Wheel
The leather and stitching are of good quality, with the steering wheel being quite light thanks in part to a faceplate that weighs only 1.3kgs. It is noticeably lighter than the R383 Sparco Wheel, for example.You get 25 action buttons, four rotary encoders that are not multi-position switches and the thumb button modules can even be adjusted in position. The long, curved magnetic paddle shifters are designed for rally drivers and are also adjustable. Above all, they are very well damped, among the quietest paddles I have driven in recent times.
When I saw the wheel module, I thought the pattern might fit the Porsche rim that I couldn't fit on the Cammus C12 without a spacer recently. But I was disappointed, Thrustmaster uses a smaller bolt pattern, so don't expect it to fit your collection or racing rims.
On the top, it has seven LEDs for your engine reves and flag information if telemetry is supported. The brightness for these is adjustable with the help of a dedicated button and the RPM indicator also has two different modes for blue or red lights when hitting your limiter.
It's a nice touch, and I have to say that the top-mount position of the LEDs really helps with peripheral vision. This feature feels a bit redundant when used with the T818, but more on that later.
Overall, this wheel reminds me of the CS V2P Wheel of Moza. It also costs exactly the same. I would prefer the Thrustmaster for its button layout, larger and more accessible paddle shifters, and LED placement.
Lower clutch paddles would have been a big plus, but I understand the rally focus and on consoles, you cannot use clutch paddles in most cases anyway.
Initial T818 Impressions
Mounting the T818 on my rig, I was super curious to see how it would feel, as 10Nm is a good mid-range sweet spot when compared to the Moza R9, Fanatec DD+ and Cammus C12 that I have used in the last few months.Especially Thrustmaster's approach with an 'unfiltered', 'pure' force feedback system, straight from the racing titles, caught my attention.
While the wheelbase is surprisingly light at just 5kg, it could be a bit more compact. With a height of 7.1 inches or 18 centimetres, this is on the higher end of the spectrum of any wheelbase and when mounting, it really takes away some flexibility. Its shape can compromise finding an optimal flush position with your screens.
The design with the interchangeable dark blue metal plates is great and I am a big fan of the huge signature hexagonal LED. This integration is very clever, as the top part works as an RPM indicator when supported by the game's telemetry. It can even show flags or active pit limiters, three different modes can be selected to vary the display style. As mentioned earlier it can make LED lights on your wheel kind of obsolete.
The T818 introduced Thrustmaster's new quick release system and comes with an adapter to the old one to support your collection of wheels. Not to mention the LED hexagon has a nice effect, when removing and changing the wheel. This QR is very easy to use, a galaxy better than the old system where you even had to put a screw in. But it’s not the stiffest system on the market, so you will experience some flex.
Installation is straightforward and we were also able to test its brand-new software, which is still in beta. It’s very sleek and modern and I really like how it explains the damper and linearity settings even with graphs, so you know exactly what it means.
There are also different modes for reactivity and the sharpness of your FFB – I chose Performance. Then Thrustmaster makes it clear in both the manual and the software that the T818 is not intended to be a toy. Recommended from 21 years of age, activation of full forces only with confirmation.
On Track
My first observation was that this wheelbase is one of the quietest. Combined with the new wheel's discreet shift paddles, this is a great option for those who don't want to disturb their roommates, neighbours or have sound picked up on voice chat.Since the Evo Racing 32R Leather is designed primarily for rallying, we hit the EA Sports WRC stages first. From the start, the integration felt great - it had a predefined button layout and from the first moment of driving I had a strong and smooth feeling of what my car was doing, both on asphalt and in the gravel, over the crests and through dips.
The only downside: No telemetry support meant no working LEDs, yet. Otherwise, my honest thought is that this wheelbase, wheel and handbrake combination is one of the greatest options in terms of feedback for rallying and WRC in particular. 32 centimetres or 12,6 inches in diameter is also a great sweet spot for precision and feel.
Then Assetto Corsa Competizione with the Nordschleife is a new perfect testing ground for FFB and steering response and I started to feel some weaknesses. On this track, I just couldn't get a feel for what my car and tyres were doing when I pushed them to the limit.
The lift-off oversteer or understeer is barely noticeable, it felt very similar to the Cammus C12 - I wonder if the "no filter" policy has a downside here? Then the FFB clipping was a problem, lowering the gain to 75 per cent got rid of it for the most part, but then the overall feel was a little too soft. At least all the LED functions worked in ACC, this is really the title you can rely on when it comes to these extra features.
In line with previous experiences, the original AC has a better feel and also allows a bit more FFB gain before clipping. Still, the T818 would not be my first choice for AC or ACC.
It's a similar story with iRacing. As long as the car has a lot of grip and downforce, everything feels really good, the curbs, the bumps - everything is there, everything is very direct. But as soon as the tyres start to slip, nothing happens, which is a shame. Just a little bit of friction would help a lot. I soon learned that without damper and zero linearity it felt more raw – there was also never a bad level of oscillation for me.
Le Mans Ultimate turned the whole thing around for me. I'd say it's 10-20% better than iRacing and ACC, which is interesting because it's the exact opposite with the Fanatec DD+. I also grabbed the 488 steering wheel for the full Ferrari GTE immersion.
LMU showed me that you have to be really careful - at first, the FFB was not inverted, and it hit me hard in the hand. In an emergency, you can also turn the FFB off completely by pressing a button.
In Conclusion
My experience with the new wheel and the T818 has been positive. Apart from the lack of telemetry support in some titles, the product seems very mature and easy to use. This is how it should be, especially at a total price of around €/$950 (wheel base, €649, and the new complete 32R Leather with button box at €299), without pedals.Thrustmaster's "no filter approach" is at least questionable, as I think some tweaking can really improve the experience with some titles. Also, the T818 desperately needs a PS5-compatible version, as the direct drive competition is very thin there.
For pure PC use, it is still competitive and a valid choice, but you must admit Moza does a great job offering the R12 for the same price, provided you keep in mind that the EU VAT is not included with Moza products and the T818 is actually made in France.
I hope Thrustmaster will follow up with more options for this Evo Racing Hub – as combined with the Racing 32R, it's an excellent choice for rally enthusiasts – and keeps improving the T818 line.
Please let us know about your experience with the T818, if you own one, in the comments below or via X, @OverTake_gg.
At A Glance, Thrustmaster EVO Racing
- EVO Racing - all new sim racing hub
- Will spawn a range of interchangeable wheel rims and gearshift paddles
- EVO Racing 32R Leather the first model, designed for rallying
- EVO Racing 32R Leather (hub, paddles and rim) €299.99 / $299.99 / £269.99
- Announced 4th April 2024, pre-orders live now, deliveries start 2nd May 2024
