Before my full T818 review, these are my notes from the first laps in the Mazda MX-5 in iRacing. I have just mounted the base on my SIM-LAB GT1 EVO and am trying it with the Ferrari 488 Challenge wheel. This January 2023 account covers installation and initial settings.
Mounting it on the SIM-LAB
Using the cockpit mounting kit and the GT1 EVO’s existing holes, installation took me about a minute. I particularly appreciate being able to adjust the base’s position quickly. The profiles and triple-screen height leave little room in my setup, so this adjustment helps place the wheel in relation to the displays.
My initial settings
For this session, I use Performance mode, force feedback at 100 and damping at 10 in the wheelbase settings. These are starting values for my installation, rather than a universal profile for every game. At this stage, I am looking for a setting that works across my usual simulations, with F1 22 as a separate case.
The video follows an AI race at Summit Point in the Mazda MX-5, with difficulty set to 70%. My cockpit uses the T818, the Ferrari 488 Challenge wheel and Fanatec V3 Inverted pedals. These first laps leave a very positive impression and make me want to continue testing in other simulations.
What we liked
- Quick installation using the cockpit mount and existing holes.
- Easy position adjustment within my setup.
- An encouraging first experience with Thrustmaster’s Direct Drive base.
What we liked less
At the time, the software lacks a profile manager. I also encounter an inconvenient behaviour when restarting the PC: if the base stays switched on, settings sometimes return to their defaults. Switching the base off and on again resolves the issue I experienced then. These observations concern the version used in early 2023; later videos revisit software developments and longer-term use of the T818.
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