If you’ve been sim-racing for any length of time, you’ll be well aware that setups and configs come in all shapes and sizes. You have those dedicated to specific motorsport disciplines, while others try to be a bit of a jack-of-all-trades.

Different setups mean different peripherals. You’ll agree that a racer who prefers F1 won’t have the same peripherals as a rally or drift driver. Sure, the simu may be identical(Asseto Corsa, for example), but the cars and setups are certainly not. However, there will always be a point connecting the setups, a key element that a config can’t help but have, and that’s the base.

Among the global players in sim-racing, we have Fanatec a German manufacturer that has been in the game for over 20 years. Offering a wide range of products to satisfy the needs of every sim-racer in the world, Fanatec develops both hardware and software for its peripherals, ensuring that its platforms work perfectly. Clearly, a Direct Drive base without software to manage it is of little use. How do you go about configuring the settings, adapting the base to your needs and preferences, or even using it for different disciplines? Well, that’s what we’re going to find out in what follows. I’m going to introduce you to Fanalab, the software that manages Fanatec‘s sim-racing peripherals, from bases and pedals to steering wheels and shifters.

What is Fanalab?

Fanalab is Fanatec ‘s in-house software for managing all the German manufacturer’s peripherals. Given that every product has a microchip for its operation and which also generates data, having software capable of understanding all this and making changes on several points is essential to having both a balanced and high-performance setup.

The idea behind such a tool is not only to be able to configure maximum chainstay torque, force feedback behavior and vibration intensity, but also to parameterize crankset sensitivity to eliminate dead zones or achieve a very specific foot feel.

Peripherals supported by Fanalab

I don’t need to remind you that Fanatec has a wide catalog of products, from Direct Drive chainstays to carbon fiber flywheels, cranksets and shifters, all spread over 3 ranges: CSL, ClubSport and Podiumfor entry, mid-range and top-of-the-range.

Virtually all Fanatec sim-racing peripherals support their Fanalab software, leaving you with a very wide selection of products. You have the full range of Podium and ClubSport peripherals, and a good part of the CSL range.

How Fanalab works

So the first thing to do before trying anything out is to download the latest version of Fanalab from the Fanatec website and install the software. Once this step has been completed, launch Fanaleb to link it to the simu you have on your PC. This is done via the ” Game Profile ” menu on Fanalab, and you’ll get a whole list of supported games. And don’t worry, this one’s well-stocked, with many arcade, sim-arcade and simulation titles. Fanatec is a major player in the sim-racing industry, and it’s only natural that its products (peripherals and software) are supported by a large number of titles on the market.

Linking the software to the simu allows you to retrieve essential telemetry data from Fanatec’s peripherals, enabling you to fine-tune their settings to your preferences, and that’s what we’re going to see.

Possible settings with Fanalab

I’m sure you’ll agree that racers have different needs in terms of sim-racing peripherals. Some want maximum realism, while others are more interested in having a good, relaxing time. Exploiting the base’s maximum torque DD2 is clearly aimed at a pro sim-racer audience. As a result, you have various options for adjusting the torque, including the possibility of lowering it.

Here are a few possible settings, not all, with Fanalab, because this software is very complete and, above all, very powerful.

• The steering angle. Depending on the base, you have maximum turning angles expressed in degrees (°). The higher this value, the more you’ll have to turn the handwheel to reach the limit stop. But with this setting, you have the option of reducing this maximum value, making driving “smoother”, so to speak.
• Powerful force feedback. Here you can set the maximum torque that the base will produce as a percentage. Example: if you have a CSL DD 8 nm and you set this value to 100%, you’ll have a base that outputs all its torque.
• Force feedback calibration. Basically, you’re going to set the base so that it gives all the force feedback in a rough or smooth way. This setting is important, especially if you have a base with more than 8 nm of torque, because you won’t be able to tell the difference between asphalt, a vibrator, a shock, or any other force.
• Flywheel inertia. This setting adds an extra layer of realism, especially if you want to feel body movements, cornering pressure, vehicle weight and so on.
• The intensity of the game’s effects. Here you can alter all the effects transmitted by the game, such as vibrations, shocks and so on. In concrete terms, this won’t have too much impact on force feedback, but you’ll have a “smoother” ride, so to speak.