How We Verify This Data
- Primary sources: Rig tour videos, sponsor announcements, Twitch/YouTube streams, official team content
- Confidence levels: Each component marked as Verified (direct evidence), Confirmed (strong circumstantial), or Unknown
- Living document: Updated when drivers change equipment — submit corrections
Complete 2026 F1 Grid Sim Setups
Click any driver name for their full profile with detailed specs and sources.
| Driver | Wheelbase | Pedals | Cockpit | Est. Cost | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Red Bull Racing
|
Leo Bodnar
SimSteering2 26Nm
|
Heusinkveld
Ultimate+
|
Playseat
F1 + Quad Samsung G9
|
$35,000 | Verified |
|
McLaren
|
Leo Bodnar
SimSteering2 26Nm
|
Cool Performance
Hydraulic Custom
|
Cool Performance
Formula Pro
|
$50,000 | Verified |
|
Ferrari
|
Fanatec
Podium DD
|
Fanatec
ClubSport V3
|
Playseat
Sensation Pro
|
$7,500 | Verified |
|
Ferrari
|
Thrustmaster
T-GT
|
Thrustmaster
T3PA
|
Playseat
F1 (PS5)
|
$3,600 | Verified |
|
Mercedes
|
Simucube
2 Ultimate 32Nm
|
Heusinkveld
Ultimate
|
Custom
Quad Monitors
|
$10,000 | Verified |
|
McLaren
|
VRS
DirectForce Pro 20Nm
|
VRS
Pedals
|
—
Unknown
|
$12,000 | Verified |
|
Aston Martin
|
Simagic
Alpha Ultimate 23Nm
|
Heusinkveld
Ultimate+
|
Allinsport
Cockpit
|
$15,000 | Verified |
|
Williams
|
Leo Bodnar
SimSteering2 26Nm
|
Cool Performance
CP-S Hydraulic
|
Cool Performance
Formula Pro
|
$38,000 | Verified |
|
Williams
|
Leo Bodnar
SimSteering2
|
Pro-Sim
Hydraulic
|
Cube Controls
Formula Pro
|
$29,220 | Verified |
|
Alpine
|
Simucube
2 Pro
|
SimTag
Hydraulic
|
RSeat
N1 + 2DOF Motion
|
$14,200 | Verified |
|
Haas
|
Fanatec
ClubSport DD+
|
LPSIMU
Custom Build
|
Alpine TRX
Custom
|
$15,000 | Verified |
|
Red Bull Racing
|
—
Undisclosed
|
—
Undisclosed
|
Home Sim
Faenza
|
Unknown | Unknown |
|
Red Bull Racing
|
Fanatec
Direct Drive
|
Fanatec
—
|
—
Le Mans Virtual Setup
|
$8,000 | Confirmed |
|
Sauber / Audi
|
—
No Personal Setup
|
—
Team Sim Only
|
Sauber
Hinwil Facility
|
N/A | No Rig |
|
Mercedes
|
—
Mercedes-provided
|
—
Undisclosed
|
—
iRacing Active
|
Unknown | Unknown |
|
Haas
|
—
Undisclosed
|
—
Undisclosed
|
Ferrari FDA
Simulator Access
|
Unknown | Unknown |
|
Aston Martin
|
Leo Bodnar / Simucube
26Nm (Cool Performance)
|
Professional
Training Grade
|
Aston Martin
Team Simulator
|
$100,000 | Verified |
|
Kick Sauber
|
Simucube
—
|
—
—
|
Sim-Lab
+ GRID 911 RSR Wheel
|
$10,000 | Verified |
|
Racing Bulls
|
—
Undisclosed
|
—
Undisclosed
|
PS5
F1 Esports Origins
|
Unknown | Unknown |
|
Racing Bulls
|
Simucube
(Wheelbase TBC)
|
Simucube
ActivePedal
|
Ascher Racing
McLaren Artura Ultimate
|
$10,000 | Confirmed |
|
Cadillac
|
Fanatec
Podium DD
|
Fanatec
—
|
Playseat
Formula Intelligence
|
$8,000 | Verified |
|
Cadillac
|
Fanatec
DD1
|
Cube Controls
CSX 2
|
Sim-Lab
P1
|
$7,000 | Verified |
Brand Breakdown
Which brands do F1 drivers trust for their home simulators?
Wheelbases
- Leo Bodnar5 drivers
- Fanatec5 drivers
- Simucube4 drivers
- Simagic1 driver
- VRS1 driver
- Thrustmaster1 driver
- Unknown/None5 drivers
Pedals
- Heusinkveld4 drivers
- Fanatec4 drivers
- Cool Performance (Hydraulic)2 drivers
- Pro-Sim (Hydraulic)1 driver
- SimTag (Hydraulic)1 driver
- Simucube ActivePedal1 driver
- VRS1 driver
Cockpits
- Playseat4 drivers
- Cool Performance2 drivers
- Sim-Lab2 drivers
- RSeat1 driver
- Team Simulators3 drivers
- Custom/Unknown10 drivers
Drivers with Unknown or No Personal Setups
These drivers either don't have a known personal sim rig, or their equipment details haven't been publicly disclosed. If you have verified information about any of these setups, please submit it.
Have Information About a Driver's Setup?
We verify all submissions against primary sources. Help us keep this database accurate and up-to-date.
Submit an UpdateFrequently Asked Questions
What sim racing setup do F1 drivers use?
F1 drivers use high-end direct drive wheelbases from brands like Leo Bodnar (26-32Nm), Simucube, and Fanatec. Popular pedal choices include Heusinkveld Ultimate+, hydraulic systems from Cool Performance and Pro-Sim, and Fanatec ClubSport V3.
Setups range from $3,600 (Lewis Hamilton's Thrustmaster) to $100,000+ (Lance Stroll's professional training rig). The average cost among drivers with personal rigs is approximately $18,000.
Do all F1 drivers sim race?
Not all F1 drivers have personal sim rigs. Of the 22 drivers on the 2026 grid:
- 18 drivers have known personal setups
- 1 driver (Nico Hülkenberg) has no personal rig and only uses team simulators
- 4 drivers have undisclosed personal equipment (often rookies)
Most drivers use team simulators for professional training regardless of whether they have home setups. Drivers like Max Verstappen and Lando Norris are known to sim race competitively, while others like Lewis Hamilton primarily use simulators casually.
Which F1 driver has the most expensive sim rig?
Lance Stroll has the most expensive known setup at approximately $100,000, which is a professional-grade training simulator at the Aston Martin level.
For personal entertainment rigs, Lando Norris leads at around $50,000 with his Cool Performance Formula Pro cockpit and hydraulic pedals, followed by Carlos Sainz at $38,000 and Max Verstappen at $35,000.
What is the most popular wheelbase brand among F1 drivers?
The most popular wheelbase brands are:
- Leo Bodnar - 5 drivers (Verstappen, Norris, Sainz, Albon, Stroll)
- Fanatec - 5 drivers (Leclerc, Ocon, Lawson, Bottas, Perez)
- Simucube - 4 drivers (Russell, Gasly, Bortoleto, Lindblad)
Leo Bodnar and Simucube dominate the high-end segment ($5,000+), while Fanatec is popular across mid-range to high-end setups.
How much does an F1 driver's sim rig cost?
F1 driver sim rigs range from $3,600 to $100,000+:
- Budget tier ($3,000-$8,000): Hamilton, Leclerc, Perez, Lawson, Bottas
- Mid-range ($8,000-$15,000): Russell, Piastri, Alonso, Gasly, Ocon, Bortoleto, Lindblad
- High-end ($15,000-$50,000): Verstappen, Norris, Sainz, Albon
- Professional ($50,000+): Stroll (team-grade training simulator)
The average cost among drivers with known personal setups is approximately $18,000.
Which F1 drivers compete in esports?
Several F1 drivers actively compete in sim racing events:
- Max Verstappen - Team Redline member, regular iRacing competitor, 8,700+ iRating
- Lando Norris - Quadrant founder, streams on Twitch, competed in Virtual GPs
- Charles Leclerc - Famous Virtual GP appearances (the banana suit!)
- George Russell - 2020 Virtual GP Champion with 4 consecutive wins
- Alex Albon - Regular iRacing participant
- Gabriel Bortoleto - Team Redline, 8,700+ iRating
- Arvid Lindblad - Team Redline member