Alex Albon

The Leo Bodnar SimSteering2 (~£2,500+) was originally built for military simulators. It delivers up to 26Nm of peak torque with an industrial MiGE servo motor providing extremely smooth, linear force feedback with zero cogging. Every curb strike and snap of oversteer hits your hands instantly.

Why it matters: The fidelity lets Alex detect asphalt texture and tire slip with micro-precision. When the tire exceeds its slip angle limit and begins to slide, the self-aligning torque (SAT) drops off — this "lightening" of the wheel is the primary cue a driver uses to sense the limit of adhesion. The 26Nm headroom ensures this dynamic range is preserved even under high-downforce cornering loads.

The Cube Controls Formula Pro (~£825 in 2020, now ~€949) features dual clutch paddles for launch control-style starts, carbon fiber front plate, backlit buttons, F1-style rotary switches, and a multi-directional joystick. The whole unit weighs less than 1kg. RaceFans noted it "wouldn't look out of place on a real F1 car."

Note: This is the original Formula Pro model from 2020. Cube Controls has since released the F-PRO and F-PRO Color Edition as newer products, but Alex's verified wheel is the Formula Pro.

The Pro-Sim hydraulic system requires up to 200kg of brake force — so Alex brakes on pressure, not travel. This gives a very realistic stiff feel where your quads burn after long stints, which is exactly the point. The throttle pedal uses an adjustable gas spring for resistance, matching a formula car's pedal effort.

Why 200kg matters: In a real vehicle, there's a hysteresis loop where the force-to-displacement graph looks different on press vs. release due to friction in the seals and fluid resistance. Pro-Sim's hydraulic pedals replicate this physically. A spring-based pedal is linear — the force is the same in and out. If Alex trained on springs, his trail-braking technique would be imprecise in the real car.

The pedals are electronically adjustable, and Cool Performance tuned the spacing and height to match his real Williams FW47 cockpit. As RaceFans noted, "Alex's team mate Max Verstappen almost lost a 24-hour virtual race at Spa when the brake pedal failed on his sim." Reliable, heavy-duty pedals are essential.

The Pro-Sim Evolution F1 cockpit weighs approximately 120kg and locks Alex into the same low-slung, heels-high posture as his real F1 car. This massive chassis acts as an inertial anchor — critical because the brake pedal generates up to 200kg of force. A lighter rig would flex under this load, destroying the driver's ability to modulate braking pressure.

Ergonomic exactness: Cool Performance set it up with a copy of his pedal spacing and steering reach. The heels-high F1 seating position uses different muscle groups than GT-style rigs — the force is applied purely horizontally, relying heavily on the glutes and core stability. This maintains Alex's physical conditioning during virtual sessions.

The chassis is used by some Formula 2 teams for driver training. The price tag including some hardware was £29,220 after tax.

Alex uses triple 27-inch monitors wrapped around his cockpit. He deliberately avoids VR to prevent motion sickness and keep reference points stable — the triple-screen setup provides a predictable horizon which he prefers for training consistency.

Original spec (2020): RaceFans confirmed "three BenQ monitors complete the set-up." Some sources suggest these were originally 1080p Samsung screens that have since been upgraded.

Reported upgrade (2025): MySimRig claims he now uses BenQ 4K 27" monitors at 144Hz, though this upgrade is not confirmed in primary sources.

Streaming note: During 2020 Virtual GP streams, Alex only used a single center screen to keep the setup simpler for broadcasting.

In May 2025, Alex announced a partnership with Beats by Dre, showing off custom orange Beats headphones. He likely uses these or similar over-ear headphones during sim sessions for immersive engine sounds and team communications.

During the 2020 Virtual GPs, he was seen wearing standard gaming headsets. The Beats deal represents an upgrade to premium audio.

According to multiple secondary sources, Alex has added a custom-built motion rig from Canadian company MYSIM. The upgrade reportedly includes:

• • Custom metallic blue paint
• • Motion actuators for pitch, roll, and heave
• • Seatbelt tensioners to simulate G-forces
• • Vibration transducers for tactile feedback

Alex reportedly joked that the new rig "replaced my couch" at home. It's not an amusement-park-style system, but rather a refined motion platform to "trick his inner ear" just enough to feel slides, curbs, and weight transfer.