Fanatec Podium Pedals Formula: Fanatec's high-end comeback
Fanatec is making noise at the top end again. Today, June 25, 2026, the brand launches the Podium Pedals Formula — its first genuine premium pedal set since the ClubSport V3, which was seriously starting to show its age. It's also Fanatec's first major launch since its acquisition by Corsair, which followed the insolvency of Endor AG in September 2024. In other words, this product reads as much as a new pedal set as a statement of intent: Fanatec wants to prove it's back, and precisely on the ground it had let slip.
What it is, and what it costs
Priced at €699.95, the Formula set includes two pedals — brake and throttle — with carbon pedal faces and heel rests. For the launch, Fanatec is throwing in the aluminium GT plates, which let you switch the feel from a Formula position to a GT position, a saving of around €75. The pedals can also be mounted individually, leaving flexibility for rig integration.
One detail that matters: the 3-pedal set and the standalone clutch module are pushed back to the third quarter. What ships today is indeed the two-pedal version — keep that in mind, we'll come back to it below.
The tech: classic mechanics taken to their peak
Beneath the carbon, Fanatec has gone all-in on the brake. The arm is forged aluminium — billed as an industry first on a pedal set — for rigidity. The load cell is an in-house 200 kg unit, calibrated to 150 kg at the plate: enough to stamp on the pedal like in a real single-seater. Damping relies on a patented four-cup elastomer system, adjustable without any tools; and for those who prefer a different curve, you can switch to linear springs. Fine mechanical tuning, with no screwdriver or shim required.
Our read: Fanatec goes against the grain
This is where the pedal set gets interesting to analyse. While the very high end heads toward hydraulics (Heusinkveld Ultimate+, Asetek Invicta) and active / electric systems (Simucube ActivePedal, Moza mBooster), Fanatec takes the opposite road. No oil, no motor: elastomers and springs, a proven, almost old-school technology.
The bet isn't in the technology, but in its execution. Forged arm, 200 kg load cell, tool-free adjustment: Fanatec pushes classic mechanics to the very best they can offer, without gimmicks. And crucially, at €700, the Podium Pedals Formula lands squarely on the turf of Heusinkveld and Sim-Lab, the references for premium load-cell pedals at this price. It's less a race for innovation than a demonstration of know-how, at the right price.
Buying advice: Formula now, or the 3-pedal set in Q3?
One point is worth pausing on before you reach for your card. Today's version is a two-pedal set. If you want the clutch later — H-pattern shifter, clutch starts — you'll need to add the module and the GT face, i.e. €234.90. Yet the complete 3-pedal set will launch in Q3 at the same price as the Formula, €699.95. The maths is quick: if the clutch is essential to you, you're better off waiting a few months and buying the full set directly, rather than upgrading the two-pedal version to pay more in the end. If you only brake and throttle with two feet, the question doesn't arise — the Formula is made for you.
Who it's for, and our (provisional) verdict
Who is it for? Formula and GT setups alike, precisely thanks to the interchangeable plates: you adapt the position to your style or your car without changing hardware — an argument that speaks to single-seater purists as much as GT drivers. On paper, the package ticks the right boxes.
Another point deserves attention, on the ergonomics side. Despite a large number of adjustments, pedal positioning seems limited in one specific respect: the rearward tilt appears shallow. For many cockpits this won't be an issue; but on certain configurations — a very reclined driving position or a steeply angled pedal plate — it could make finding the right foot position trickier. Something to check against your own setup.
That said, a pedal set is judged above all under your foot. And one thing stands out: Fanatec's communication focuses almost entirely on the brake. The throttle, by contrast, is far less detailed — a contactless Hall-effect sensor, adjustable travel and preload, but very little feedback so far on the finesse of its feel. That's the point to watch as the first reviews come in — bearing in mind that at launch, those reviews often come from testers who received the product early, and aren't always perfectly objective. The mechanics are appealing, the brake impressive; it remains to be seen how the whole package performs in use. We'll come back to it in our sim racing build recommendations
On paper, Fanatec delivers a credible comeback: rather than chasing hydraulics or electric systems, the brand takes proven mechanics to their best level, and places them right at the price that hurts the competition. If the feel follows, it's a serious contender in the €700 segment. Our only real reservation is the product timing: between today's Formula and the Q3 3-pedal set at the same price, the right choice mostly comes down to whether you need a clutch.
At a glance
Availability
The Podium Pedals Formula is available today, sold directly on its Fanatec product page. It remains to be seen whether the feel will back up the spec sheet in use, and what the first reviews will say — particularly about the throttle, the big absentee from the communication.