Logitech G turns the RS50 into a papaya McLaren sim-racing rig with 8 Nm direct drive

The Logitech G RS50 McLaren Racing Bundle combines the company’s 8 Nm direct-drive racing platform with a McLaren Racing Edition Formula wheel and load-cell pedals, creating a more complete route into serious sim racing than Logitech’s long-running gear-driven systems.

The bundle brings together the RS50 direct-drive architecture, TRUEFORCE feedback, RS Pedals and a McLaren Racing Edition wheel inspired by the McLaren MCL38 steering wheel. Logitech G currently lists PC-only and PlayStation/PC versions on its European website.

Its strongest attraction is not simply the papaya branding. The RS50 represents a substantial technical shift towards direct drive, while the pedals use a 75kg load-cell brake and contactless Hall-effect accelerator. The McLaren wheel then gives the system a Formula-style interface instead of the conventional round wheel supplied with the standard RS50 System.

TechnologyBlog.co.za has not tested the RS50 McLaren Racing Bundle. This article therefore examines its verified hardware, ecosystem and practical buying considerations rather than presenting conclusions about force-feedback quality, braking feel or lap-time improvements.

McLaren branding is only the most visible part of the upgrade

The orange-and-black McLaren design is what immediately separates this bundle from the conventional RS50 System.

Logitech says the RS Formula Wheel McLaren Racing Edition was developed in collaboration with McLaren Racing and takes design influence from the McLaren MCL38 steering wheel. Its Formula-style shape uses sculpted thermoplastic elastomer grips and low-carbon aluminium construction.

The wheel is not a complete force-feedback system on its own. It is an attachment designed for Logitech’s RS Wheel Hub, allowing it to form part of the company’s modular R Series ecosystem.

That modular approach matters more than the colour scheme.

A sim racer can change wheel styles without replacing the direct-drive base. Logitech already sells round, track and Formula wheel options for the same wider ecosystem.

For someone who moves between open-wheel racing, GT cars and other disciplines, that creates a more flexible system than a racing wheel permanently attached to one rim.

The RS50 base delivers up to 8 Nm of direct-drive torque

At the centre of the bundle is the RS50 direct-drive base.

Logitech rates the motor for up to 8 Nm of peak torque. Unlike older gear- or belt-driven wheel systems, a direct-drive design connects the motor directly to the steering shaft.

That removes intermediate gearing between the motor and the steering wheel.

In principle, the design allows steering forces to reach the driver with less mechanical filtering and backlash. The result can include faster response and more detailed force feedback, although the quality of the experience still depends on the simulator, settings, mounting and driver preferences.

Eight newton-metres also places the RS50 in a very different performance category from Logitech’s older entry-level racing systems.

TechnologyBlog.co.za has previously covered the Logitech G29 Driving Force, which remains a practical starting point for new sim racers. The RS50 platform represents Logitech’s route for users moving towards a modular direct-drive setup rather than simply replacing one conventional wheel with another.

TRUEFORCE adds game data on top of normal steering forces

The RS50 also supports Logitech TRUEFORCE.

Traditional force feedback communicates steering forces calculated by the game. TRUEFORCE adds another layer by connecting compatible games more directly to their physics and audio data.

Logitech says the system can reproduce additional information from the virtual car and track as high-definition tactile feedback through the wheel.

Exactly how useful that becomes depends on the software.

A simulator needs TRUEFORCE support before the additional feedback can be used, and drivers may prefer different strength and filtering settings.

Logitech currently promotes TRUEFORCE support across major sim-racing titles, including Le Mans Ultimate, where Logitech G also operates an official partnership and G Challenge competition.

That connection is particularly relevant to TechnologyBlog.co.za’s own sim-racing journey, which began in Le Mans Ultimate using an Xbox controller before moving deeper into the realities of competitive endurance racing.

The pedals may change driving technique more than the wheel

Direct drive normally attracts the headlines, but the RS Pedals may be just as important for drivers moving from entry-level equipment.

The brake uses a 75kg load cell.

Instead of measuring only how far the pedal travels, a load cell measures the force applied by the driver. Logitech says this is intended to produce more consistent braking and make techniques such as trail braking easier to repeat.

That distinction matters in sim racing because drivers often build braking consistency around pressure rather than pedal position.

The accelerator uses a contactless Hall-effect sensor. Rather than relying on a conventional mechanical potentiometer, the sensor detects changes in a magnetic field to measure pedal movement.

Logitech also designed the pedal set to be adjustable.

For someone upgrading from a basic wheel-and-pedal kit, adapting to a load-cell brake may require more physical force and a different braking technique. A stable desk setup or racing cockpit therefore becomes increasingly important.

Eight newton-metres changes the mounting requirement

An 8 Nm direct-drive base can produce enough force that mounting should be taken seriously.

Logitech includes mounting hardware for attaching the RS50 base to a compatible sim rig. The company also sells a table clamp for desk-based configurations, although what is included depends on the exact system or bundle being purchased.

A weak desk or lightweight wheel stand can move under stronger steering loads.

The same principle applies to the load-cell brake.

If the pedal set slides backwards or the chair rolls away while the driver applies braking pressure, some of the benefit of a pressure-sensitive brake is lost.

A buyer budgeting for the McLaren bundle should therefore consider the structure around the hardware as part of the purchase rather than treating the wheel and pedals as the entire sim-racing setup.

Logitech’s R Series is designed to grow with the driver

The RS50 sits inside Logitech G’s R Series, which has been designed around interchangeable components.

The ecosystem includes the RS50 Base, RS Wheel Hub, multiple wheel rims, RS Pedals, a clutch module, shifter and handbrake options and other accessories.

Logitech also provides a Racing Adapter that can allow users of selected older G25, G27, G29, G920 and G923 components to move towards newer racing hardware in stages.

That upgrade path matters because complete sim-racing systems can become expensive quickly.

A driver does not necessarily need to replace the wheel base, steering wheel, pedals, shifter and cockpit simultaneously.

The McLaren bundle takes the opposite approach by packaging several important components together for users who already know they want the direct-drive and load-cell route.

Logitech’s move into more serious sim-racing hardware is also part of a much longer company evolution. Our Logitech company history traces how a mouse developed in a Swiss farmhouse ultimately led to a business spanning gaming, streaming, audio and enterprise hardware.

Compatibility needs careful attention

Logitech’s European product page currently shows the RS50 McLaren Racing Bundle in PS/PC and PC-only configurations.

The wider RS50 platform can support multiple console ecosystems depending on the combination of wheel base and compatible wheel hardware used. However, buyers should not assume that every bundle automatically supports PlayStation, Xbox and PC simultaneously.

The exact bundle SKU matters.

This is particularly important for console users because platform authentication can be tied to specific components in modular racing ecosystems.

PC users generally have a simpler compatibility decision, while console users should confirm the exact version before ordering.

RS50 McLaren Racing Bundle specifications

Specification	Logitech G RS50 McLaren Racing Bundle
Wheel-base type	Direct drive
Peak torque	Up to 8 Nm
Force-feedback technology	TRUEFORCE
Steering-wheel style	McLaren Formula-style
Wheel inspiration	McLaren MCL38
Wheel materials	TPE grips, low-carbon aluminium
Wheel system	Modular RS Wheel Hub ecosystem
Brake	75kg load cell
Accelerator	Hall-effect sensor
Pedal construction	Steel frame
Platform versions listed	PS/PC and PC-only
Upgrade ecosystem	Logitech G R Series
Colour	Papaya / Black
Status on Logitech EU site	Coming soon

Specifications are based on Logitech G’s official product and R Series pages checked on 23 September 2026.

Official European pricing starts at €749.99

Logitech G’s official European product page listed the RS50 McLaren Racing Bundle at €749.99 to €849.99 when checked on 23 September 2026.

The page was marked “Coming soon” rather than available for immediate purchase.

Those are official Logitech European prices at the date of publication.

They should not be converted directly into rand as an indication of South African retail pricing.

Logitech G maintains an official South African McLaren Racing partnership page that includes the McLaren Racing Edition Formula wheel, showing that the collaboration is being promoted locally. However, TechnologyBlog.co.za could not verify an official South African rand price for the complete RS50 McLaren Racing Bundle on Logitech G’s local website at publication.

Official South African pricing for the complete bundle had therefore not been published by Logitech at the date of publication.

This bundle is aimed beyond the first step into sim racing

The RS50 McLaren Racing Bundle does not look like hardware aimed at someone who merely wants to find out whether racing games are enjoyable.

Its 8 Nm direct-drive base, load-cell brake and modular Formula wheel make more sense once a driver already knows that sim racing will remain part of their gaming setup.

The hardware also raises practical questions that do not matter as much with a basic racing wheel.

Is the desk or cockpit strong enough?

Can the seat remain stable under a 75kg load-cell brake?

Does the chosen simulator support TRUEFORCE?

Does the exact bundle support the required platform?

Those questions matter more than the McLaren badge.

The collaboration gives the system its visual identity, but the bigger change is underneath it: Logitech is packaging a modular direct-drive platform, pressure-sensitive braking and Formula-style controls into one McLaren-focused setup.

For Logitech G, that moves the McLaren partnership beyond branded gaming accessories and much closer to the actual mechanics of sim racing.