Thrustmaster SF1000: My honest opinion of this 2024 steering wheel

More and more sim-racers are focusing on setups specific to a single-car discipline, such as F1 or GT3. These setups generally consist of a reasonably robust base, a pedals, a quality crankset, and a steering wheel adapted to the discipline, often an official replica.

Fanatec has been doing this on its entire product range, from CSL down to the steering wheels of Podium. It looks pretty good, especially if you choose the suitable base with your desired steering wheel. As for other brands, we have Thrustmaster, who also got into the act with one of their steering wheels, the SF1000.

Car fans will immediately notice that this name is linked to Ferrari, and it is. The SF1000 is an official replica steering wheel Ferrari F1 for the 2020-2021 season, and I will introduce it to you in what follows.

Main and technical characteristics of the steering wheel

• 28 cm diameter wheel
• Official Ferrari F1 replica steering wheel
• 4.3” OLED display
• RevLED rev counter
• Use of carbon fiber for steering wheel structure
• 25 knobs in all
• Four aluminum paddles in total, including two analog ones, with Push-Pull
• Compatible with PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
• USB-C and Wi-Fi connectivity

Design

Although the design of a steering wheel is often subjective, the Thrustmaster SF1000 is still beautiful, with its genuine carbon fiber center. The manufacturer used 21 layers over a thickness of 3 cm to make the wheel structure, and it’s magnificent. I think it’s on par with premium sim-racing manufacturers like Fanatec or Simucube.

As an official Ferrari licensee, the SF1000 is based on the design of the steering wheels used on the Prancing Horse brand’s single-seaters. The grips are covered with a well-made rubber coating that looks set to last for many years.

Behind the steering wheel, you have four paddles in Push-Pull configuration, also in aluminum. They look good and, above all, feel comfortable under your fingers. All in all, this steering wheel is just gorgeous, especially if you’re a Ferrari and F1 fan.

Custom mounting

The Thrustmaster SF1000 is a steering wheel that doesn’t come fully assembled since you have to fit the rear paddles and the QR. In this phase, we start to notice the differences between Thrustmaster and Fanatec, for example.

The steering wheel can be used with all Thrustmaster T-series bases, giving you many choices. Except where it gets tricky is with the QR. It’s not a QR since you must remove the screwdriver to attach the steering wheel to the base. As a result, you won’t have the pleasure, or the ease for that matter, of swapping wheels, which is a real shame in 2023 for a steering wheel released in 2021.

After that, as I said above, the paddles aren’t attached to the steering wheel. You must still remove the screwdriver to attach them to the rear using four screws. This can be a time-consuming operation, and you’d better not get the order wrong, or the paddles won’t work correctly. Here’s a quick guide to attaching the screws: top right then left, bottom left then right.

Manufacturing and finishing

Thrustmaster screwed up by delivering a steering wheel that wasn’t fully assembled but made up for its build quality. The SF1000 is a steering wheel with a near-perfect finish when used bare-handed, perfect with gloves.

The structure is carbon fiber, so it’s all one super-smooth block. All you have are the knobs and handles, and also the paddles. Overall, it’s perfect. The buttons click nicely, and the handles grip very well, as do the paddles.

However, the manufacturer advises wearing gloves for your sim-racing sessions, as the SF1000 can be a little uncomfortable when driving barehanded, at least on sessions lasting a few hours. Otherwise, on fast runs, it’s perfect.

Getting to grips with the steering wheel

Another point where the Thrustmaster SF1000 is its grip. Given that this is an official Ferrari replica steering wheel, it has to be said that its grip is excellent. Your hands are naturally well placed on this steering wheel, able to reach all the buttons, switches, and paddles effortlessly. F1 is all about: keeping your hands on the wheel while doing whatever it takes to win.

Between shifting gears, changing modes, fine-tuning the TC or clutch, and changing the screen display, it’s all done quickly and without a hitch on the Thrustmaster SF1000. However, I strongly advise you to wear gloves during long sim-racing sessions, as without them, the steering wheel can quickly become uncomfortable.

I don’t know if it’s a machining flaw or intentional, but the paddles, like the grips, aren’t superbly well-finished, which can induce discomfort over time. Honestly, I didn’t like this point, and it’s mainly here that we can see that the competition, Fanatec, among others, is well ahead of us in this steering wheel segment. After all, Thrustmaster also sells T-Chrono Paddles which is compatible with this steering wheel. So…

Sensations during play

Now it’s time for the real thing: in-game sensations. After a few minutes with the Thrustmaster SF1000 it doesn’t take long to get your bearings, and this is where the official Ferrari license comes into its own. If you’re looking for the perfect description of the sensations of this steering wheel in a single word, it’s immersive. Everything is almost perfect in some cases and excellent in others.

The steering wheel is light, thanks partly to the massive use of carbon fiber. Its kilo or so is not felt at all in the hand, which brings more feel, as the base engine is less stressed with the mass of this steering wheel and will, therefore, reach its limits much later.

All the buttons and switches fall superbly to the fingertips, which is a big plus for immersion and realism. This is an officially licensed Ferrari steering wheel, so I’d have been shocked if it hadn’t been.

However, the paddles are a bit ric-rac due to their finish, which forces you always to use gloves for long sim-racing sessions. The same goes for the grips, which weren’t unpleasant but much more comfortable with gloves. At the same time, this steering wheel is aimed at professional sim-racers looking for the ultimate in realism.

Compatibility

Being recent, this steering wheel is compatible with all platforms available on the market, namely Playstation, Xbox, and PC. Just remember to buy a T series base from Thrustmaster, as the SF1000 is only compatible with these.

Value for money

For € 399.99 on the manufacturer’s website, the Thrustmaster SF1000 remains an excellent high-end steering wheel. With its exceptional finish, carbon fiber, and official Ferrari license, it’s hard to beat in this price bracket. Admittedly, there are a few flaws here and there, but overall, it’s still exceptional.

However, it is sometimes difficult to acquire this steering wheel at the manufacturer’s recommended price, given that the Thrustmaster, the SF1000 is often out of stock, and you can easily find it for €550, and even more, at other retailers. But as always, you can also order the Thrustmaster SF1000 on the Amazon site for a mere 330€.

My verdict

I’m a fan of Thrustmaster, and the SF1000 Thrustmaster’s SF1000 is still an excellent top-of-the-range steering wheel that rivals the big names in sim-racing, such as Fanatec and Simucube. The carbon fiber provides a superb premium feel, a welcome change from other Thrustmaster products.

I highly recommend this steering wheel for sim-racers and mainly amateurs/pros who evolve in the Thrustmaster ecosystem, but only reasonably priced in the €450 or even €500 range. If you find it more expensive than that, I’d advise you to think twice and weigh up the pros and cons before taking the plunge. And if you want to invest in the best, I invite you to read my review on The 6 Best Steering Wheels for Sim Racing in 2023.

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