As all experienced iRacing users know, one of the most vital parts of getting the most out of any car and track combo is through the application of your braking. Having the right braking points, pressure and overall consistency can make or break a lap, sometimes accounting for multiple seconds a lap if executed optimally.
So other than practice, what can you as a driver do to improve your overall consistency and become a better driver within iRacing? Well, one of the biggest pieces of equipment that has an effect on your braking performance is your pedal set.
You might be asking how a different set of pedals can help you as a driver? Well, as with real-life motorsport and car parts, not all pedal sets are made equal and spending money can improve you as a driver if taken advantage of in the right way.
With that in mind, we have gathered the best sets of pedals for iRacing to help you decide what equipment is best for you at each price range!
- Sports, Formula & Oval iRacing Setups
- Race Telemetry - Brake, Throttle & Racing Lines
- Corner by Corner AI Coaching To Gain Seconds
- Challenge Racers on the Delta Leaderboards
How To Set Your Pedals in iRacing
- Open up the iRacing program in any car and track combination
- Go to the Options page and click on the Pedals button in the top right “Input Calibration” panel
- Follow the on-screen prompts and make sure that when you press your pedals, you press them all the way, as pressing them only partially will make 100% pressure the amount you pressed it to.
- That’s it! Go test out your new pedals and make sure they’re working correctly.
Braking in iRacing is extremely sensitive, and small differences in pedal pressure have a big impact on lap time. For that reason, we strongly recommend load cell brakes. They measure pressure rather than travel, which gives you the precision and consistency needed to get the most out of iRacing’s braking physics.
Our Top 6 Pedal Choices
| Product | Style | Price | Pros | Cons |
| Thrustmaster Raceline Pedals III LC | Load Cell | Budget | Lots of adjustment. Premium materials and design | Limited software customisation |
| Fanatec Clubsport V3 Pedals | Load Cell | Budget | Part of the MOZA ecosystem. Fully adjustable pedals | Load Cell the same as CSL Pedal set |
| MOZA Racing CRP2 Pedals | Load Cell | Mid-Range | Real-life pedal construction. Customisable in Simpro Manager software | Requires add-ons for the complete experience |
| Simagic P1000-R | Load Cell | Mid-Range | Superior build quality. Refined technological solution | Requires add-ons for the complete experience |
| Heusinkveld Sim Pedals Ultimate+ | Hydraulic | High-End | Most immersive experience for your feet. Highly customisable on each pedal | Requires high-end rig or dedicated plate |
| Simucube Active Pedals | Active | High-End | Most immersive experience for your feetHighly customisable on each pedal | More expensive than a real race car |
Bonus Asetek Pick From Coach Dave
Did you know you can save yourself 10% off all orders at Asetek by having a Delta subscription? This includes all of their pedals. Meaning you save anywhere between $30 and $75 when purchasing any of the Invicta, Forte and La Prima pedals from Asetek.
We recommend the Forte S-Series Brake and Throttle kit from Asetek, which also includes a 3-month free iRacing coupon.
The Forte S-Series Pedals offer adjustable distance between the throttle and brake, allowing customisation up to 100 mm apart. This feature makes it possible to customise your sim racing setup to your exact preferences – including the option to mount the pedals inverted.
With iRacing’s sensitive braking systems, Asetek give you the confidence and adjustability to perform at the very top of your game.
Thrustmaster Raceline III Load Cell Pedals
| RANGE: Budget | STYLE: Load cell | BRAND: Thrustmaster |
After years of the legendary T-LCMs dominating the entry-level Load Cell market, Thrustmaster has innovated with their newest entry of the Raceline III.
Whilst you can purchase the set without the 24-bit, 100kg Load Cell pedal, the relatively low cost for the Raceline IIIs with the Load Cell means that it is more than worth the cost. It even features the same interchangeable spring mechanisms Thrustmaster is known for. A great option if you’re working through the Complete iRacing Car List like it’s your bucket list. You can use softer springs for cars with ABS, for instance, and harder springs for the cars without it.
The Raceline IIIs are also a refined product that makes the most out of every gram of mass in the product. They are easier to change than the older models, easier to clean, and easier to adjust for different seating positions and for maximum comfort.
In addition to all of this, it can be optimised further using Thrustmaster software on the computer, and with a suitable wheelbase such as the T598, it can also be optimised on console too if you’re taking the set off of iRacing and the PC.
This pedal set is for any iRacing sim racer already integrated into the Thrustmaster ecosystem or just someone looking for that true out-of-the-box experience with their pedal set. This is a great choice for any sim racer looking to step their iRacing game up without breaking the bank along the way.
Fanatec Clubsport V3 Pedals
| RANGE: Budget | STYLE: Load Cell | BRAND: Fanatec |
The Fanatec Clubsport V3 Pedals are the more premium offering brought to the market by Fanatec and are truly an upgrade from their cheaper CSL pedal set alternatives. They come with much more premium looks, build quality and ergonomic improvements.
The pedals themselves are aesthetically dominant, with a powerful sheet black colouring finish to the metal. The build design not only offers good looks but also provides a high level of build quality, limiting pedal flex and ensuring the longevity of the product.
The set comes with a host of adjustability features such as the Load Cell, pedal arm placement, angle and pedal face adjustment. The pedal faces themselves can be set up in multiple different configurations, allowing a truly unique customer experience. The load cell brakes can handle up to 90kg of force, allowing you to have the firm feel of a formula car or the progressive feel of a road car pedal, with no flex on the structural integrity of the product.
On top of all of that, you have vibration motors that can mimic when you’re redlining the throttle or locking up the brakes. Plus, if you wanted to add even more on top, the pedals also can have a hydraulic damper added to the throttle, giving a more realistic feel, improving the immersion by yet another step.
As a cost-effective product providing unrivalled levels of quality, these pedals are a great choice for anyone looking for the best bang for their buck!
MOZA Racing CRP2 Pedals
| RANGE: Mid-Range | STYLE: Load Cell | BRAND: MOZA Racing |
MOZA Racing have been on the sim racing market for years now, and they’ve managed to make the high-end technology all the more affordable, from wheelbases to wheel rims to pedals. And the CRP2 is proof of this refined and successful formula.
Take the Load Cell pedals themselves, for starters. The sensors are now rated up to 200kg of load, with sensors that are highly customisable with various different profiles that allow you to have a different type of pedal for each type of car that you’re driving. It allows you to feel even more of a difference between classes of GT car, oval racer, or Formula car all the way up the racing ladder.
The default set comes as two Load Cell pedals, but it can easily be changed and reconfigured into a three-pedal set with a clutch pedal. The pedal faces are also interchangeable, such as with an organ-style throttle pedal that many of MOZA’s rivals offer for their pedals. The spacing on these pedals can also be adjusted, allowing you to really feel like you’re behind the wheel of your favourite car by mimicking its configuration even more.
If you want to take it even further, then MOZA has you covered. This is because the mBooster Active Pedal is also compatible with the CRP2, with the Active Pedals providing real-time feedback for inputs and outputs such as anti-lock brakes, traction control, or redlining in the rev range. Talk about going the extra mile!
Simagic P1000
| RANGE: Mid-Range | STYLE: Load Cell | BRAND: Simagic |
The Simagic P1000 is an elegant three-pedal solution that allows its users to get the feeling of real racing whilst not breaking the bank, offering the chance to upgrade as you progress on your sim racing journey, and boasting excellent customisability in its software.
Simagic’s modular design for the P1000 means that you can be content with the basic Load Cell offering, which has an easy-to-adjust resistance setting that also includes recommended setups for TCR, GT, and Formula-class cars. And they’re not the only things that are adjustable either, with the ability to change the face plates and their mounting as well as the height of the pedals to best suit your driving style.
However, if you wish to go even further, there are plenty of add-ons that can enhance your experience. These include the haptic sensors, which can simulate ABS and Traction Control as well as clutch bite, revs, and when wheels lock or slip.
The P-HTS adds a hydraulic system to the throttle, which gives a more realistic feel, something that can also be added to the brakes through the P-HYS.
The Inversion Kit also adds immersion by giving you the feel of real-world pedals that rotate upwards instead of downwards, whilst the P-SRB gives you an RGB strip that you can program to show when you are locking up, engaging the traction control, or ready to shift up a gear.
On top of this, users can use the Simpro Manager software. This software allows you to fully customise deadzones amongst other factors, with the ability to set different profiles for different games and different vehicles. If you’re set about making yourself the most unique experience, this is a piece of kit that you’ll love.
Heusinkveld Ultimate+
| RANGE: High-End | STYLE: Hydraulic | BRAND: Heusinkveld |
Heusinkveld has been known for a long time as the quintessential high-end sim racing brand, and their Sprint pedals were long believed to be the ultimate test on the sim racing market. But the brand has gone even further, to the “ultimate”, you may say, with their Ultimate+ offering.
First off, it refines the same great production techniques that built the reputation of the Sprint pedals. CAD-designed, laser-cut, and made from a lightweight-yet-durable stainless steel. These are built to last, and built with the toughest of competition in mind.
Under the skin, the technology that has gone into these hydraulic pedals has been built with the cutting edge of sim racing esports in mind. This has gone into the development cycle, with many leading sim racers helping to perfect the hardware and the software integration to make sure that you have the same industry-leading experience regardless of which licence you are competing under on the iRacing service.
The customisation options on this pedal allow you to take this even further. With 9 different resistance settings on the brake pedal, as well as a variety of customisation options from angle to travel to faceplate on the outside and even more options that can be customised on your computer in the software, if you’re looking to get even more serious with your sim racing then you know where to go.
Simucube Active Pedals
| RANGE: High-End | STYLE: Active | BRAND: Simucube |
You want bells and whistles? What’s more bells and whistles than durable, dependable, high-tech pedals that can cost you more than an actual car?
Simucube’s Active Pedals are at the top of the price range for a reason. They are customisable to the extent that it is as dependable a throttle as a brake and even as a clutch pedal. You could set it up to mimic anti-lock braking systems, traction control systems, or possibly even a clutch bite if you’re dedicated enough! With tons of profiles out there, and integration in successful management software, it is a setup that will set you for life.
What’s even better is that Simucube have built their Active Pedals so that they can be integrated with other solutions, such as the previously-mentioned Heusinkveld Ultimate+ pedals as well as anything else from the brand’s range. This means that you don’t have to switch fully or right away, but you can build up your system gradually as soon as you can afford the next addition to your collection.
iRacing Setups To Win
Alongside the best pedals to use for iRacing, you need the best setups! That’s where Coach Dave comes in! We have pro setups created every week, for every season, for all of the most popular racing series and special events. Get them in Delta right now.
Gain seconds in lap time with our incredible iRacing setups that include professionally developed setups and referance laps for every car available in the official weekly racing series that you can find on iRacing.
