Fanatec's $599.99 Podium Pedals Sport Is the Cheapest Way Into Its New Flagship Pedals

Fanatec's new Podium Pedals platform has been a long time coming, and the first version you can actually buy is the least expensive one. GTPlanet reported on October 16 that the Podium Pedals Sport is available to order now at $599.99, $100 less than the Podium Pedals Formula, which was out of stock at the time.

The Sport is a two-pedal set, brake and throttle, with GT-style aluminum pedal plates and no clutch. The flat plates work for left- or right-foot braking. All three Podium Pedals variants share the same mechanical parts, and the clutch module and Formula carbon pieces will be sold separately, so a Sport can be upgraded later.

The brake

This is where the money goes. The pedal arm and mid-arm are forged aluminum, which Fanatec claims is an industry first. A custom load cell is rated for more than 200 kg and calibrated for 150 kg at the pedal plate, and the pivot uses an industrial-grade ball bearing. Feel is set by what Fanatec calls the Compression Control System: four elastomers in threaded cups that adjust travel and resistance without tools and double as mechanical limiters. Staggering the cups gives a progressive feel, and four springs are included.

The throttle uses a factory-calibrated Hall sensor with tool-free travel and preload adjustment, about 20 mm of travel adjustment. Every pedal has angle adjustment that keeps the geometry consistent.

Compatibility

The pedals work with Fanatec's CSL DD, Gran Turismo DD Pro, ClubSport DD and DD+, and Podium DD1, DD2 and new Podium DD bases. On PlayStation they connect through a PlayStation-licensed Fanatec base over RJ12, and on PC they connect over USB-C, with both connections able to stay plugged in. Pedal curves are stored in the pedals, so they carry over to console, though a base firmware update may be needed.

For sim racers coming from load cell pedals in the entry tier, this is the step to a flagship brake without paying flagship money. GTPlanet's Jordan Greer called it “the cheapest way into Fanatec's new flagship pedal range.”