I’ve seen a lot of pretty impressive racing wheels in recent weeks, but this latest reveal by Thrustmaster is definitely up there with the best.
Announced at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France is this, the Ferrari 499P Centenary Winner Edition. It’s very expensive at $851 / £751 but will also be one of the rarest wheels on the market, with just 499 of them being released.
What makes it so special? This is a 1:1 scale wheel inspired by Ferrari’s 2023 winning Prototype car, with a 4.3-inch display featuring the Ferrari 499P’s dashboard that can display up to 140 parameters.
As with the real thing, all the relevant race data you need at any given time can be accessed through the wheel’s display, leaving you free to focus on the racing at hand.
Besides the design, for your money you’re getting a molded carbon back cover, six adjustable paddles, which includes a pair made out of carbon fiber, buttons, dials, and even a ‘subtle’ D-pad because, of course, this is for gaming.
Each of the 499 units produced comes with a numbered plaque and a display stand, because when you’re not using it to race, it can sit pride of place in your collection.
Every unit also comes with an included copy of the Le Mans Ultimate game, with all of the currently released content. It is a very Le Mans-themed package, after all.
I love this, though. I’d never own one, but what a thing to have. Recently I saw a different take on real-world wheels for sim racing in Fanatec’s crossover between the sim and track with BMW.
This isn’t quite on that level, nor does it reach the same price tag. But it’s another example of bringing a realistic, immersive experience to your favorite racing games. I’ve owned some of Thrustmaster’s previous Ferrari wheels, which, while not in this league, were still very well done.
If you want one of these, you’ll have to move fast. Pre-orders for the 499 units begin on June 13 on Thrustmaster’s website. The time given is 4 p.m., which I’m going to assume is French time, given that’s when this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans gets underway.
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