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P1Sim Eau Rouge : Test & Review

Sim Racer

E-sport driver & Sim Racing enthusiast, I decided to share my passion on this website.

P1Sim Red Water

Benefits

  • Premium construction with choice of switch colors
  • F1-style steering wheel
  • SimHub-compatible 4.3″ touchscreen in the center
  • Available in 4 or 6 pallet versions

Disadvantages

  • Requires a specific adapter for each DD base
  • PC compatible only
  • Premium prices

Gamers who want to get into sim-racing, whether out of passion or to enhance immersion in their video games, are faced with numerous options in terms of products and peripherals. Between generalist and elitist brands, it’s easy to get lost in a sea of products and segments.

Today, there are many sim-racing players targeting different market segments. There are brands aimed at beginners and amateurs. Others are for experienced racers, and of course we have the elitist manufacturers who target a very specific audience, mainly that of sports stables or hardcore fans of the disciplines.

Among the elitist brands, there’s a French company that came into being in 2021 through the efforts of two brothers with a passion for motorsport, as well as experience in the field. The company is called P1Sim and its products are very interesting, I must say. In what follows, I’m going to introduce you to their Formula 1 steering wheel:Eau Rouge.

Main and technical features of the steering wheel

  • Formula 1-style steering wheel open at the bottom
  • 29.5 cm diameter with discipline-specific rectangular shape
  • RevLED on top of front panel
  • 4.3” diagonal central touch screen
  • A total of 22 controls on the entire steering wheel
  • Forged carbon fiber faceplate with CNC-machined aluminum backplate
  • 33 mm diameter handle
  • Available with 4 or 6 pallets, 2 analog and the rest magnetic
  • SimHub and PC compatible via USB connection only
  • Compatible with most Direct Drive bases, provided you have the correct Wheel Side hub.
GT DD PRO

Design

The design of this Eau Rouge steering wheel is no exception to its target discipline: F1. The rectangular shape is very specific to Formula wheels, with an opening at the bottom. The steering wheel looks a little like Fanatec‘s new ClubSport Formula RedBull, but is wider on the faceplate to accommodate the 4.3″ screen.

The faceplate features forged carbon fiber, as on the Arnage, with an aluminum structure at the rear. Overall, the Eau Rouge’s design is sober, except for the rotary switches and thumb encoders, which can be customized with three different colors: Purple, Red and Blue. Also, most of the front buttons are transparent, i.e. RGB, as on the Arnage.

At the rear, there are 4 or 6 carbon-fiber paddles and a system for attaching Quick Release Wheel Sides. All in all, the Eau Rouge is a handsome steering wheel, with a striking resemblance to the Arnage.

Customized assembly

Like its GT/Formula sibling, the Eau Rouge uses a fairly standard DD base mounting system. However, you’ll need a hub specific to your Direct Drive base to use it. At Fanatec, this is the Podium Hub. Moza and Simagic call it their QR D1-Spec, and so on. It has to be said that every major manufacturer of sim-racing peripherals, especially those offering Direct Drive bases, have hubs so that their products are compatible with other flywheels.

P1Sim’s Eau Rouge exploits this, which is a good solution for players, albeit a more expensive one unfortunately. Depending on the DD base, expect to pay between €50 and €200 more to use this steering wheel on your setup. As for installation, this will vary from one QR to another, so you’ll need to refer to its installation method, which is typically to pull on a ring, align the connections and then release the ring once the steering wheel is in place.

Manufacturing and finishing

Given P1Sim’s focus on the premium segment, you’d expect Eau Rouge to use noble materials. And it does, as does the Arnage I must say. The back-plate is CNC-machined aluminum, and the faceplate is 5mm forged carbon fiber, if I’m not mistaken. The build quality of this steering wheel screams premium in virtually every respect, except for the transparent knobs which are made of silicone and sometimes snag in use, and the rubber grips too. On this last point, the brand wanted a material that offered a very good level of grip, and this is the case, to the detriment of a rather high level of heat on the hands.

As for the Eau Rouge’s finish, I have absolutely nothing to say about it, like its brother the Arnage. The assembly of the various parts of this steering wheel, as well as the cut-outs in the materials used, are meticulous. Even the buttons are very racing in their use. Honestly, my hat’s off to the P1Sim team.

GT DD PRO

Handling the steering wheel

The Eau Rouge’s diameter is just under 30 cm (29.5 to be precise), which is just right for F1 racing. The driving position is 9H15, so it’s upright, with all the controls spread over the faceplate, and at the rear too.

Unlike the Arnage, the Eau Rouge’s rotary switches on the sides of the faceplate can be reached with your thumbs, and are easy to use. But like the Arnage, the transparent buttons catch when pressed, and sometimes get stuck. This isn’t really a design issue, but rather a choice of materials, and I hope P1Sim will correct this in the future.

The rear paddles are easily accessible, and you can choose between 4 or 6 in all, including 2 analogs. They are adjustable in spacing, so their ergonomics can be adapted to each rider.

And now for the rubber grips. They’re superb for gripping, and offer a very good grip. However, the material in contact with your skin generates a lot of heat, which quickly becomes uncomfortable without gloves. I’d advise you to wear them if you’re planning long sessions with the Eau Rouge.

Sensations during play

By now, you’re probably wondering just one thing: what is Eau Rouge worth on the track? Well, let’s find out.

Once installed on your setup, and correctly configured via SimHub and P1Sim’s in-house software, the Eau Rouge proved to be an excellent steering wheel. However, you should be aware that this wheel is an F1 steering wheel, so you’ll need to use it on Formula 1 titles, or even 2 if you’re so inclined.

The steering wheel is immediately in its element with F1 2024, especially once you’ve taken the time to configure the controls and put on the stickers that come with Eau Rouge. The element I loved on this steering wheel was its paddles, especially the analogues for the F1 clutch and “Launch Control” where you pull on the two paddles, release one to depress the gas pedal and then progressively release the last to avoid slipping. Pure bliss, and almost worth the asking price as far as I’m concerned.

The steering wheel felt light on the track, and the controls are easy to reach. It’s true that some buttons stick, but they’re responsive, so there’s no need to push them to the limit. On the other hand, I’d strongly advise you to wear gloves if you want to spend any time with this steering wheel, as the rubber generates a lot of heat when it comes into contact with your hands.

GT DD PRO

Compatibility

The P1Sim Eau Rouge is compatible only with the Windows PC platform. As far as the basics are concerned, as long as you have the hub linking the two devices, you won’t have any problems.

Value for money

Now that’s going to hurt. While the Arnage was on sale for €600, the Eau Rouge is not. Expect to pay €1,200 for the 4-paddle version and €1,260 for the 6-paddle version. That’s really expensive, but at the same time, this steering wheel is almost perfect. So it’s up to you to decide whether it’s worth the asking price.

My verdict

I didn’t expect to be disappointed by such a premium wheel, and that wasn’t the case. The P1Sim Eau Rouge is an excellent wheel for Formula racing with virtually any Direct Drive base.

It has its little flaws, of course, but if you can afford it, as well as the hub to use it on your setup, then you won’t be disappointed. I recommend it and I now understand, and above all feel, the hype behind this steering wheel.

gt dd pro

P1SIM RED WATER

Precise, High-Performance F1 Steering Wheel!

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