Honest iRacing setup guides, force feedback settings and gear picks from Carlos Martinez, tested on a real MOZA direct-drive rig. Real motorsport roots.
Start here
Written guides on force feedback, setup, buying and racecraft, tested on the same MOZA R9 rig you see on the channel.
Gear
One table, tier by tier. Picks marked "Raced on" are on my own rig; the rest are researched recommendations. Full reviews are in the wheel buyer's guide.
| Pick | Why it made the list | Tested? |
|---|---|---|
| Logitech G923 Racing Wheel | belt-driven, the easiest on-ramp into iRacing | Researched pick |
| Thrustmaster T300 RS GT | long-standing budget pick | Researched pick |
| MOZA R5 Bundle | entry direct drive — the first real fidelity jump | Researched pick |
| Fanatec CSL DD | entry direct drive with Fanatec’s ecosystem | Researched pick |
| MOZA R9 Direct Drive Wheelbase | 9 N·m direct drive — the base bolted to my rig right now | Raced on |
| MOZA R12 Direct Drive Wheelbase | high-end direct drive, maximum headroom | Researched pick |
| Fanatec ClubSport DD+ | high-end, deep licensed-rim catalog | Researched pick |
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Watch
Full live stream from @realtape. YouTube loads (privacy-enhanced mode) only when you press play.
From the Accounts
Sim racing + real-world racing photography & video — all from Carlos's own accounts.
Content
Four core content types — voted on by the community.
Best moments, close battles, and full race recaps from iRacing sessions.
Car setups, tuning tips, and garage walkthroughs to help you go faster.
Behind-the-scenes looks at the sim rig, hardware, and software stack.
Techniques, racecraft, and strategies for all skill levels on iRacing.
Gear & Hardware
Every link below is affiliate. I earn a small commission when you buy — at no cost to you — which helps keep RealIRacing running.
The force-feedback, pedal and baseline settings I actually race, for MOZA, iRacing, ACC and Le Mans Ultimate. Every pack has a free preview.
See the setup packs →FAQ
Last updated:
RealIRacing is run by Carlos Martinez, who races on iRacing under the user name Carlos Martinez9. The site and the @realtape YouTube channel cover iRacing from a racer's perspective with real motorsport roots; the channel lists 975+ videos and 1,700+ subscribers, and has been on YouTube for 15 years.
The rig is a MOZA R9 direct drive wheelbase (9 N·m), a MOZA CS V2 steering wheel and MOZA CRP2 load cell pedals, driven by an RTX 5060 Ti and a Ryzen 7 5700 with 32 GB of RAM on a single 1440p 120 Hz monitor. Every part is hardware Carlos owns and races on, and the full breakdown is on the My Rig page.
Four kinds of content: race highlights, setup guides, rig tours and iRacing tips. The blog adds written guides on force feedback settings, wheel and pedal buyer's guides, safety rating and racecraft, car and track guides, and OBS streaming configurations.
Yes. Gear links go to Amazon and carry an affiliate tag, so Carlos may earn a small commission if you buy, at no extra cost to you. That income helps keep the site running. The affiliate disclosure sits in the gear section of this page.
Watch race highlights, setup guides and rig tours on YouTube at @realtape. Follow @realiracing on Instagram, TikTok and X, or find every platform in one place at realiracing.com/go.
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