Your first lap on a wheel in F1 25 can feel brilliant or baffling. If the car snatches on kerbs or turns like it’s stuck in glue, that’s not you. It’s your settings.
This guide gives you a realistic baseline that works on PC, PS5 and Xbox, and shows exactly which setting to change when something feels wrong. Spend a few minutes setting rotation, strength and damper, run a short test, and the car will feel quick, stable and consistent.
Understanding Force Feedback in F1 25
Force feedback is the push and pull you feel through the rim.
The game turns tyre slip, steering load, kerb strikes, and aero changes into torque so your hands react before your eyes do. Get that balance right and you’ll feel understeer building, catch snaps, and place the car cleanly on exit.
Two settings shape that feel the most: steering range and damping. Steering range controls how far you turn the wheel for the car to reach full lock. Set 360 degrees in your wheel software and match 360 in-game for sharp, consistent inputs. If you want a little more room at hairpins, 380 is a sensible alternative. Damping controls how quickly forces settle. Start with little to no added damper and only raise it if the wheel chatters or shakes on straights.
Image Source: SimStaff
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Maxing in-game Strength and losing detail
- Treating damper as mandatory instead of a stabiliser
- Mismatched rotation between base and game
In-Game Calibration and General Settings
Image Source: SimStaff
Before you start
- Check for firmware and driver updates in your wheel software
- Plug the wheelbase directly into the PC or console. Avoid hubs and long extensions
Step 1: Select your device, make a profile, assign buttons
Settings → Controls, Vibration & Force Feedback. Select your wheel and create a new custom profile so the default stays untouched. Assign DRS, ERS, pit limiter, and MFD directions to buttons you can reach without loosening your grip.
Step 2: Match steering rotation
Set 360 degrees in your wheel software and 360 in-game. This gives one-to-one steering. For the reasoning, see Understanding Force Feedback. If you want a little extra room at hairpins, try 380.
Step 3: Calibrate steering and pedals
Use the test bars to confirm full left, full right, and full pedal travel. Keep Steering Saturation and Brake Saturation at 0 for full pedal travel. If your brake shows input at rest or your DRS closes on straights, add 1–3 per cent Brake Deadzone to ignore that resting signal.
Step 4: Set a safe FFB baseline
Start with this and adjust by feel:
Strength 60–75 to preserve detail while keeping weight. If the wheel feels heavy in slow corners, drop Strength by 5. If it feels numb, add 5.
On-track 20–30 for surface texture without harshness. Raise for more kerb detail, lower if your rim chatters.
Rumble 20–30 for engine and kerb vibration cues. Keep close to On-track so the mix feels natural.
Off-track 5–15 so grass and gravel are noticeable but not violent.
Wheel Damper 0–5 to control oscillation. Add only if the wheel shakes on straights.
Rotation 360 for one-to-one steering. Use 380 only if you need extra room at hairpins.
Step 5: Test your baseline
Run three quick checks in Time Trial.
Clipping: Hit a big kerb. If impacts feel flat, lower in-game Strength 5–10.
Straight-line stability: If the wheel shakes on a straight, add 2–3 Damper in game or a touch of base damping.
Kerb detail: Adjust On-track and Rumble until painted kerb and sausage kerb feel distinct.
Platform-Specific Tips
Image Source: SimStaff
On Fanatec, PlayStation support is in the wheelbase and Xbox support is in the steering wheel. Pair a PS-licensed base with an Xbox-licensed wheel, and the same rig works on PS5, Xbox, and PC.
PS5 best practices
- Update firmware in the brand app or via PC
- Set 360 degrees in both places
- Use a short, direct USB cable to the console
Xbox best practices
- Make sure your steering wheel is Xbox-licensed, or the base will not be recognised
- Set 360 degrees in both places
- Plug straight into the console and avoid hubs
PC best practices
- Install the latest driver and make a simple “F1 25” profile in your wheel software before launching the game
- Plug the wheelbase into a motherboard USB port. If you see dropouts or lag, try another port
- Modern wheelbases default to 1000 Hz USB polling. Leave this alone unless inputs feel delayed
Controller Fallback
Keep a controller profile saved as a backup. If the wheel is not detected, switch to the controller profile from the Controls menu so you can keep racing while you troubleshoot.
Brand-Specific Presets
Image Source: SimStaff
Use these as clean starting points. Match 360° rotation in your wheel software and in F1 25 unless noted. Then fine-tune with the next section.
Logitech G29 / G923
G HUB
| Setting | Value | Why |
| Operating Range | 360° | Match the game for one-to-one steering. |
| Sensitivity | 50 | Neutral response; adjust later if centre feels twitchy. |
| Centering Spring | Off | Avoids artificial self-centering that masks detail. |
F1 25 IN-GAME
| Setting | Value | Why |
| Strength | 60–75 | Preserves detail without arm fatigue. |
| On-track | 20–30 | Surface feel without gear chatter. |
| Rumble | 20–30 | Engine and kerb cues to taste. |
| Off-track | 5–15 | Notice off-track without shocks. |
| Wheel Damper | 0–5 | Add only if it shakes on straights. |
| Rotation | 360° | Matches the target steering range. |
Note: Prefer a stronger feel on G923? Some creators push On-track and Rumble to around 30–40 instead of 20–30. Start with the baseline above, then raise each by 5 until the texture feels good. If the rim chatters or big kerb hits start to feel the same, back it off.
Fanatec wheelbases
Use Fanatec’s official F1 25 charts below. If any setting feels too heavy, lower in-game Strength first.
CSL DD / GT DD
| Where | Setting | PC/PS5 | Xbox | Why |
| Tuning | Sen | 360° | 360° | F1 lock and sharp inputs. |
| FFB | 100 | 100 | Full base range; adjust weight in game. | |
| FFS | Peak | Peak | Keeps spikes crisp. | |
| NDP | 35 | 45 | Stability without smothering detail. | |
| NFR / NIN | Off / Off | Off / Off | Friction adds drag, inertia adds flywheel feel. Off keeps centre detail and quick transitions. | |
| INT | 3 | 3 | Light smoothing. | |
| FEI | 100 | 100 | Keeps kerb and road detail sharp. | |
| In-game | Strength | 80 | 70 | Keeps headroom for big hits. |
| On-track / Rumble | 30 / 30 | 30 / 30 | Balanced road and kerb feel. | |
| Off-track | 15 | 15 | Gentle off-track feedback. | |
| Wheel Damper | 3 | 5 | Calms straights if needed. | |
| Rotation | 360° | 360° | Match the base. |
Image Source: SimStaff
ClubSport DD / DD+
| Where | Setting | CS DD | CS DD+ | Why |
| Tuning | Sen | 360° | 360° | F1 lock. |
| FFB | 75 | 65 | Mid-torque balance. | |
| FFS | 50% | 50% | Softer scaling on these bases. | |
| NDP | 55 | 45 | Extra stability on CS DD. | |
| NFR / NIN | Off / Off | Off / Off | Avoids constant drag and sluggish transitions. | |
| INT | 10 | 10 | Small interpolation to calm micro-buzz without muting detail. | |
| FEI / FOR / SPR / DPR | 100/100/100/100 | 100/100/100/100 | Keep full effect range from the game; change only if a title requires it. | |
| In-game | Strength | 100 | 100 | Do weight on base; keep detail in game. |
| On-track / Rumble | 20 / 10 | 20 / 10 | Subtle texture, less buzz. | |
| Off-track / Damper | 5 / 2 | 5 / 2 | Calm without dulling. | |
| Rotation | 360° | 360° | Match the base. |
Podium DD1 / DD2
| Where | Setting | DD1 | DD2 | Why |
| Tuning | Sen | 360° | 360° | F1 lock. |
| FFB | 60 | 50 | Plenty of torque headroom. | |
| FFS | Peak | Peak | Sharp responses. | |
| NDP / INT | 15 / 3 | 15 / 2 | Light stability only. | |
| NFR / NIN | Off / Off | Off / Off | Extra friction or inertia can hide detail on high-torque bases. | |
| FEI / FOR / SPR / DPR | 100/100/100/100 | 100/100/100/100 | Preserve full effect channels from the game. | |
| In-game | Strength | 60 | 50 | Protects detail at high torque. |
| On-track / Rumble | 25 / 30 | 20 / 30 | Texture and kerb pop. | |
| Off-track / Damper | 10 / 3 | 5 / 2 | Controlled off-track feel. | |
| Rotation | 360° | 360° | Match the base. |
Image Source: SimStaff
Thrustmaster T128 / T248 / T818
Thrustmaster’s panels differ by base, but the flow is the same: set rotation to 360 in the panel, keep extra damping low, and do fine weight in game.
Thrustmaster Control Panel
| Setting | Value | Why |
| Rotation | 360° | Matches F1 steering range. |
| Overall Strength / Master Gain | 65–85% | Leaves room for spikes; do fine weight in game. |
| Spring | 100% | Lets the game drive recentring. |
| Damper | 0–10% | Only if you fight oscillation. |
F1 25 in-game
| Setting | Value | Why |
| Strength | 60–75 | Keeps details on hybrid and belt drives. |
| On-track / Rumble | 20–30 / 20–30 | Texture without chatter. |
| Off-track | 5–15 | Controlled vibrations. |
| Wheel Damper | 0–5 | Add if it shakes. |
| Rotation | 360° | Match the panel. |
T818 note: Thrustmaster advises 100% Master Gain in the T818 Control Panel and doing weight adjustments in game, with damper at 0% in the panel unless you need extra stability.
MOZA R5 / R9 / R12 / R16 / R21
MOZA’s official guidance: keep Game FFB Intensity high on low-torque bases, slightly lower on high-torque, and use modest Natural Damping. Traxion’s F1 25 values below are a solid in-game baseline.
Pit House
| Setting | Value | Why |
| Maximum Steering Angle | 360–380° | F1 range; some MOZA users prefer 380. |
| Game FFB Intensity | 100% (R3/R5/R9), 70–90% (R16/R21) | Keep detail, scale comfort on high-torque bases. |
| Natural Damping | 15–25% | Stability without smothering detail. |
| Wheel Spring | 0% | The game provides return-to-centre. |
F1 25 in-game
| Setting | Value | Why |
| Strength | 40–60 | Traxion baseline trends lower in game. |
| On-track / Rumble | 20 / 20 | Balanced texture. |
| Off-track | 25 | Firm off-track, no extra damping unless needed. |
| Wheel Damper | 0 | Start at 0 to avoid double-damping alongside Pit House Natural Damping; add 1–3 only if the wheel shakes on straights. |
| Rotation | 360° | Match Pit House. |
Image Source: SimStaff
Simucube 2 Sport / Pro / Ultimate
TrueDrive
| Setting | Value | Why |
| Overall Strength | 40–60% of max | Leaves headroom for spikes. |
| Recon Filter | 3–5 | Smooths edges without dulling. |
| Damping / Friction / Inertia | 0–10% / 0% / 0% | Start clean; add only for stability. |
| Slew Rate Limit | Unlimited, reduce if spikes feel harsh | Tames sharp hits if needed. |
F1 25 in-game
| Setting | Value | Why |
| Strength | 60–75 | Detail first, then weight. |
| On-track / Rumble | 20–30 / 20–30 | Texture and kerb cues. |
| Off-track / Damper | 5–15 / 0–3 | Control without mush. |
| Rotation | 360° | F1 range. |
Note: Simucube moved from TrueDrive to Simucube Tuner in 2025. If you still see TrueDrive, update.
Asetek La Prima / Forte / Invicta
Asetek’s F1 25 guide is explicit: filters off in RaceHub, 360 steering, then use the in-game values per base below.
RaceHub
| Setting | Value | Why |
| Steering Range | 360° | Match the game for one-to-one. |
| High Frequency Limit | No Limit | Full bandwidth to the game. |
| Damping / Friction / Inertia / Cornering Assist | 0% / 0% / 0% / 0% | F1 25 already applies natural smoothing. |
| Overall Force | La Prima 12 Nm, Forte 16–18 Nm, Invicta 27 Nm | Set base torque by model. |
F1 25 in-game
| Model | Strength | On-track | Rumble | Off-track | Damper | Rotation |
| Invicta | 36 | 25 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 360° |
| Forte | 44 | 30 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 360° |
| La Prima | 56 | 34 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 360° |
Notes that apply to every brand:
- Keep rotation matched in both places to avoid weird steering ratios. Our default is 360. Asetek’s and Fanatec’s official materials also target 360 for F1 25.
- If anything feels off after a game patch, reapply your brand profile and re-check the rotation first, then revisit in-game Strength and Damper settings.
Fine-Tuning and Advanced Adjustments
Image Source: SimStaff
You’ve got a working setup. Now make it feel right.
Quick workflow
- Verify rotation once: 360° in your wheel app and 360° in F1 25.
- Set overall weight: raise in-game Strength until short, high-force hits like sausage kerbs start to feel the same as medium bumps, then back off 5–10 points so the biggest hits still stand out.
- Stability pass: add a small Wheel Damper only if the rim shakes on straights.
- Texture pass: use On-track and Rumble so painted kerb and sausage kerb are easy to tell apart.
- Re-test with the quick checks below.
Symptoms and What to Change
| What you feel | Change in F1 25 | Change in wheel app |
| Big hits feel flat or dull | Lower Strength by 5–10 to avoid clipping | If you still want more weight, increase base torque 1–2 Nm |
| Too heavy in hairpins | Lower Strength by 5 | No change |
| Wheel shakes on straights | Add 2–3 Wheel Damper | Add a little base damping if needed (Fanatec NDP +5, Moza Natural Damping +5%) |
| Kerbs feel numb | Raise On-track or Rumble by 5 | No change |
| Pulls or DRS closes on straights | Add 1–3% Brake Deadzone | Recalibrate pedals; confirm brake reads 0 at rest |
Why the DRS fix works: a tiny resting brake signal tells the game you are braking, which disables DRS. A small deadzone ignores that micro input.
Image Source: SimStaff
Filters: use only if needed
Most drivers can ignore these at first. Adjust only to solve a specific issue.
- Damper adds stability and reduces oscillation. Keep it low; Fanatec uses NDP/INT for this.
- Friction / Inertia adds resistance. Leave at 0 unless you need extra stability.
- Recon / Interpolation smooth roughness on some DD bases. Start low; too high can dull detail.
- Slew rate limits how quickly torque rises. Reduce slightly only if impacts feel like punches.
Telemetry and clipping checks
Run these three tests in Time Trial after any change:
- Clipping check: hit a big kerb. If the impact feels squashed, lower in-game Strength 5–10.
- Straight-line stability: if the rim wiggles with light hands, add 2–3 Wheel Damper.
- Kerb audit: adjust On-track and Rumble until kerb types are obvious.
Turn on UDP telemetry in F1 25 and use a simple dashboard app. Watch the FFB or clipping indicator while you do three laps of tests. It confirms whether changes reduce clipping or just hide detail.
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
Image Source: SimStaff
A good setup should feel natural and repeatable. If it does not, check these first.
Mismatched rotation
Fix: confirm 360° in your wheel app and 360° in F1 25, then save both profiles.
Wrong profile loaded
Fix: in your wheel software, load your “F1 25” profile. In-game, select your custom wheel profile, not the default.
Wheel not detected at launch
Fix: plug the base directly into the console or a motherboard USB port. Power cycle the base, then reselect the wheel in Controls.
Random disconnects on PC
Use a better cable: short, shielded USB cable under 2 m. Avoid hubs and long extensions.
- If drops continue on Windows, try this:
- Open Device Manager
- Expand Universal Serial Bus controllers
- Double-click the USB hub your wheel uses, open Power Management
- Uncheck Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power, then OK
Stiff, tiring feel
Fix: lower in-game Strength by 5–10 points. If you still want more overall weight, raise base torque by about 1–2 Nm instead of pushing the game slider higher.
Noisy or “chattery” feel
Fix: drop On-track or Rumble by 2–5. Add Wheel Damper 1–3 only if the rim chatters on straights.
Oscillation on straights
Fix: add Wheel Damper 2–3 in game. If your base has a damping slider, add a small amount there too. Recheck rotation is still 360 in both places.
Car drifts or DRS closes on straights
Cause: a tiny brake signal at rest disables DRS.
Fix: add Brake Deadzone 1–3 per cent and confirm the brake reads 0 at rest in the test bars.
Image Source: SimStaff
FAQs
What is clipping?
When the force signal hits its cap, and big hits all feel the same. Lower in-game Strength 5 to 10 points.
What FFB Strength is best for wheel longevity?
Moderate in-game Strength with some headroom. Set overall weight using base torque, not by maxing the game slider.
How often should I recalibrate?
Only when you notice drift, after firmware or driver updates, after major game patches, or when hardware changes.
Can I share settings between different wheelbases?
Yes. Keep your in-game preset the same, set 360° in the wheel app and in F1 25, then adjust base torque until you can lap for 15–20 minutes without forearm strain. Leave Damper at 0 and only add 1–3 if the wheel shakes on straights. If the overall weight still feels off, nudge in-game Strength in 5-point steps.
Do I need to change USB polling on PC?
No. Most wheelbases default to 1000 Hz. Leave it unless inputs feel delayed.
Image Source: SimStaff
Conclusion
The goal is simple: a car that feels predictable every lap. To reach this goal, start by updating your wheel software, make a fresh profile, set 360° in your wheel app and in F1 25, then calibrate so the wheel sits straight at centre and your pedals read 0 per cent at rest and 100 per cent when fully pressed. Apply the baseline values and do a quick shakedown: biggest kerbs should hit harder than medium bumps, the wheel should stay calm on straights, and painted vs sausage kerbs should feel different.
Use the brand presets as your foundation and experiment on purpose. Change one slider, run a few laps at the same track, and note what changed. Keep the tweaks that add clarity. If you want more weight, nudge base torque a little instead of cranking Strength or Damper until the detail disappears.
Need a hand getting it dialed? Reach out to us and have one of our Pro Technicians look over your setup.
