Our Verdict
Pros
- Six paddle shifters is a nice improvement.
- Additional functionality to joysticks.
- Upgraded rev lights and flag lights.
- Touchscreen with customisable dashboard layouts.
- Third-party wheel base support.
Cons
- Encoders are plastic.
- Plastic screen surround could have been metal or carbon fibre.
This is a MOZA FSR Formula wheel, and it remains my favourite MOZA wheel to date, probably because I’m an F1 nerd. And this is the new MOZA FSR2 wheel. Can you spot the difference?
MOZA Racing has spent the past year or so updating almost all of its sim racing hardware to V2 iterations, and these updates bring improved features and better compatibility. This is true of the MOZA FSR2. The wheel may look very similar to the original, however, the key updates have gone a long way in allowing this wheel to remain one of the very best formula steering wheels you can buy.
MOZA Racing sent this FSR2 across for testing, and I’m going to share all of my thoughts, both good and bad in this FSR2 review.
Watch our FSR2 Wheel Review
What is the MOZA FSR2?
The original MOZA FSR wheel launched as the company’s flagship F1 steering wheel. It carries that recognisable rectagonal design that most F1 teams utilise, and it packs in a lot of functionality, including the large 4.3-inch display.
To highlight just how close this wheel gets to achieveing a true F1 experience, I have the SF1000 steering wheel here which is a replica of the Ferrari wheel from a few years ago. You can see that the general shape and layout are very similar. Elements such as thumb encoders, button placements and the large screen are very comparable.
Some areas within the original wheel didn’t quite match the real-world wheel or competitors. There were no flag lights, which are common on most F1 wheels, and around the back, there were four paddle shifters rather than the six, which brands such as Fanatec and Asetek offer.
New and upgraded inputs
Thankfully MOZA has fixed pretty much all problem areas with the upgraded FSR2. This revised sim racing wheel now features those missing flag lights, as well as removing the horrible diffused strip across the rev lights, which I have never liked.
When the steering wheel is flipped over, we are presented with two paddle shifters, a dual-clutch system, and two additional paddlesfor in-game activations such as DRS and ERS.
These are the really notable additions to this upgraded wheel, however, there are further improvements. Back on the front of the wheel, the two joysticks have been upgraded to 7-way switches. These are much more helpful as you can assign true directional inputs for menu navigation, as well as rotational inputs for further adjustments while on track, just in case the seven encoders aren’t enough!
Upgraded dashboard
The display has also seen an upgrade and is now touchscreen. Previously, you could cycle through dash designs, but this had to be done with one of the joysticks. Now, you can simply swipe through different designs. And you can use the Pit House software to create your very own designs and layouts, just like you can with other MOZA wheels such as the Vision GS.
FSR2 Price
With all of these new additons, you may expect the price of this upgraded wheel to increase comapred to the original. But I’m happy to report that isn’t the case. The original RRP remains the same at $649, €699 or £649.
| Product | Price |
|---|---|
| MOZA FSR2 wheel | UK: £649 EU: €699 US: $649 |
This price still positions the FSR in the mid- to top-end price range for a formula wheel. However, compared to other wheels with displays, it is actually on the cheaper end.
Comparing the FSR2 to other wheels
The SIMAGIC FX Pro costs over $100 more. The Asetek Invicta wheel and the Cube Controls CSX-3 both cost over $500. Even a Fanatec ClubSport Formula V2.5X with the Podium Paddle Module costs just $100 less than the FSR2, and that wheel doesn’t have a display.
However, the Thrustmaster SF1000 wheel I mentioned earlier, does cost considerably less at just $399, but comes with a much lower overall quality.
The design of the FSR2
In terms of the overall design and quality, a lot of what made the original FSR wheel so good returns. For a more in-depth review of the FSR’s quality, check out our original MOZA FSR review. But for those that haven’t watched or read our older FSR review, lets take a look at what we get for our money with this second iteration.
Inputs and features
The FSR2 formula steering wheel is a 280mm F1-style sim racing wheel. Across the front of the wheel are a whole host of inputs including 10 individual RGB push buttons, which all have a rather soft activation. By soft I mean there is a rather long throw with a quiet click, and this is unchanged from the original.
The five front facing rotary encoders feel the same with a plastic finish, which is a slight letdown. I would still have preferred a slightly more premium finish, such as a metal accent. However, I’m convinced the new encoders are slightly easier to rotate than the originals. There are also two thumb encoders which are nice and stiff to prevent incorrect inputs.
The two joysticks are much improved compared to the old FSR wheel. The new directional sticks allow for directional inputs, rotational inputs and a push click. This opens up a good number of additional inputs and is definitely and improvement.
New display
The biggest changes to the front however are with the screen and the surround. The display itself is the same size at 4.3 inches, however, now features touch functionality, letting you swipe to change your display. This is powered by a 1.3GHz quad-core processor to allow for really fast interaction and very low-latency to the visuals that are displayed in real-time.
The surrounding plastic utilises a different design to accommodate the new shift lights, which are housed nicely. These flag lights and the shift lights are individually lit, allowing the individual LEDs in this version of the FSR2 to look crisper than the original with the diffused strip.
You can also notice a new MOZA Racing logo that is embossed and finished in glossy metal. This is such a small touch, but it makes the wheel look instantly more premium compared to the printed logo on the old wheel.
Similarities
Other than these changes, the rest of the wheel remains the same. There is still a 5mm thick carbon faceplate along with perforated microfibre leather grips, making the ergonomics and quality on par with the original.
New paddle shifters
On the reverse of the wheel, we have slightly revised bolts used on the quick release, but the big change is the paddle shifters. The old four paddle configuration is replaced with a six paddle layout.
The design is different with slots in the paddles and altered layout to accommodate the two upper paddles. But the quality with the carbon fibre paddles is the same as before.
The feel of the activation remains similar, although I’m happy to say that MOZA has dampened the loud clicking sound from before. Activating a paddle is still on the loud side, but it’s much quieter than before. Because of this, dampening pads are no longer included in the box.
Compatibility of the FSR2
The FSR2 remains one of the most compatible MOZA wheels thanks to the included data port on the rear of the wheel. This allows you to hard wire the FSR2 to a MOZA Universal Hub, allowing for it to be used with third-party wheel bases.
This doesn’t need to be done if using a MOZA wheel base, as power and data are sent directly through the quick release, which much like all MOZA wheels, remains excellent.
Is the MOZA FSR2 worth buying?
All of the elements of the FSR2 that are changed over the original add to the quality and feature set. There hasn’t been a bad change made and there’s no wrong step from MOZA here.
If you already own an FSR wheel, there really is no need to purchase this upgraded version. However, if you plan on buying an FSR in the future, this new FSR2 replaces the older wheel in the webshop from today onwards, and you’ll be glad to know that the FSR2 remains the same price, and is much improved all-round.
Frequently asked questions
The upgraded MOZA Racing FSR2 Formula Wheel is released on the 10th December 2024 in all regions.
The price of the MOZA Racing FSR2 wheel is the same as the original wheel at $649, €699, £649, AUD$1099 or ¥98,900.
The MOZA Racing FSR2 is one of the better formula-style steering wheels, and remains one of the more premium steering wheels that MOZA Racing sell. With the large 4.3 inch display, it offers fantastic value compared to other MOZA wheel and other brands.
You can use the MOZA FSR2 wheel with a Fanatec wheel base by combining the MOZA Universal Hub and Fanatec Podium Hub.
The FSR2 features many different display layouts which can be changed by swiping the touchscreen. You can also create your own custom display layout using the MOZA Pit House software.
Technical Specifications
Review written by Felix König
