The American-French peripheral company has been a leader in the development of belt-driven technology for its sim racing devices, but later this year it will offer a wheelbase that forgoes that design.
Direct drive refers to the attachment of the steering shaft to the motor without interference from other components. Thrustmaster previously announced that the base would be a direct drive in December 2021 as part of a promotional campaign rather than the company’s normal belt system.
Despite Thrustmaster’s claim that the new wheel will only fit inside a PC. This indicates that Thrustmaster is still behind when compared to Fanatec, which has a direct-drive wheelbase that is compatible with a variety of consoles.
Are Thrustmaster wheels direct drive?
No, however, following the release of a roadmap, the Thrustmaster direct drive unit was initially considered for 2021. It displayed what appeared to be a motorsport flag system in March, with lights integrated into the wheelbase unit.