Let’s go with another analysis we conducted on an Asetek product. Let’s see how these Pagani Huayra R Sim Racing Pedal
have turned out, which inaugurated their first automotive partnership. Review by JM Navarro.
The borders between reality and simulation are falling apart in simracing as both software and hardware are perfected to provide an increasingly realistic sensation of the driving experience at home. While Fanatec offered us rims that are compatible with both the simulator and its real counterpart, now Asetek gives us the opportunity to use a supercar’s pedals at home: these are the Huayra R Sim Racing Pedals.
This is one of Asetek’s latest proposals in its high-end range of pedals, which showcasts the technical aspects already shown in the Invicta pedal set combined with the aesthetic style of the Italian manufacturer Pagani and its Huayra R car. I will describe my experience with these pedals, which I have had the opportunity to test in recent weeks.
Introduction
The Asetek Pagani Huayra R Sim Racing Pedal are presented as a re-styled version of the Invicta model, the top range of the Danish brand (which we had the opportunity to test here), since they share the technology of the T.H.O.R.P. hydraulic brake pedal. (is it a corporation coming from the latest Marvel movie? No, it means Twin Hydraulic Opposing Rapid Pistons…), which I will talk about later. The differentiation of this product, as it could not be otherwise, comes in the details that Pagani has provided to achieve a faithful reproduction of the pedals of the Huayra R, a supercar with 850 horsepower that they show us on the outer cover of the package containing the pedals.
This version from Asetek includes replicas of both the brake and throttle face plates and the pedal arms of the supercar, arranged in the same position as the real vehicle. This is quite relevant, since the face plates of this version cannot be adjusted (in height or horizontal position with respect to the pedal arm) or exchanged for the Asetek Invicta plates. This is explained in the pedal’s manual as follows: “The Pagani Huayra R pedal face plates are in a fixed position, which is accurate in comparison to the real deal, and doesn’t allow for adjustability. Details are in an exclusive product and in cooperation with the world’s most prominent car manufacturer“. However, it is possible to adjust the pedals in travel distance and angle.
On the other hand, the Asetek Simsports logo at the base of the plate has been replaced by the Pagani logo, keeping the LED strip lights just in front of the heel rest, and the pedal adjusting thumbnuts are in a golden tone, in contrast to the orange color of the Invicta, Forte and La Prima pedals.
Assembly
As we already said with the Invicta, this pedal board made of aluminum is quite light, and the changes to the pedals in this version have not modified this characteristic. In addition, since it is a set of two pedals, handling for assembly is much easier. To fix these pedals onto your chassis, Asetek uses the same hole pattern as the Invicta set, you can check the distances between the four holes at this link. In case you have a perforated plate that does not fit the pattern, the pedals can be anchored on two aluminum profiles, since they are aligned in pairs.
The assembly is very simple, since three of the holes have straight-forward access. The fourth hole is located below the throttle push rod. This bar comes apart quickly and easily, and without the need for any tools, but you will need to use the long side of the allen wrench to access the hole through the throttle bar bracket.
The pedal board has a USB-C connection between the brake and accelerator pedals. That position seems a bit weird to me, since the cable is then facing towards the seat, and you have to bend it to get it out from the side or the back towards the computer. Once the pedals are plugged in, the setup is immediate, and this is very much appreciated. Not because we are used to “plug & play” devices should we stop valuing that there is no need to do more configuration than the operating range of the pedals and the color we want in the LED strip (it can also be deactivated, or its intensity can be regulated).
Regarding the pedal’s operating range, I recommend always setting the minimum brake level with your foot resting on the pedal plate. This way we can rest our foot on the pedal on the straights without braking the car. Regarding the maximum level of the brake pedal… “sky is the limit”, as these pedals have a maximum load of 185kg! Be careful, this is a serious level of load, both on a physiological level – yes, there is a “lever effect” between the support point of the foot and the hydraulic cylinder, but it is by no means easy to achieve such forces repetitively – and at our components compliancies in their joints with the cockpit. Be sure to have your pedal board screws well tightened… and also your seat! (this is action-reaction principle, if you apply a force against the pedal, it exerts it on you as well. The pedal board is supported on its base, and you are on your seat).
Set up and adjustments
Once the pedal board is ready to go, Asetek recommends that we drive with the default settings for a few hours before making changes. First, the pedal plates are placed perpendicular to the base. In the pedal manual, Asetek mentions that this achieves maximum braking efficiency and promotes muscle memory training. I have my doubts about this, since I believe that the position of both foot and leg with respect to the pedal play a very important role in this matter, but I understand the idea behind their instructions. As I said before, the plates cannot be moved, but you can change the inclination angle of the arm-plate assembly of each pedal separately.
To adjust the inclination, you must first separate the pedal arm from its corresponding bar, and screw/unscrew the thumbnut and thumbscrew that are located in front of the pedal. This operation is surprisingly simple, and I really appreciate that they designed this aspect with user comfort in mind. No tools are needed to do it, since the pedal rods are joined by a pin held with a clip, and the thumbnuts are easily handled by hand. I have a driving position closer to a GT car in my cockpit, so I have oriented the pedals slightly leaning backwards. I can imagine that in a single-seater style cockpit with the pedals located higher the default configuration would suit me.
The main difference of these pedals with respect to the Invicta model are the face plates, and in this regard I have mixed feelings, always talking about functionality (I understand that aesthetics is subjective, and my opinion contributes little in this matter). I really like the brake pedal. Really, a lot. It has a large supporting surface, up to 13 cm wide, which makes me feel like I have my foot pushing against a wall (6.5 and 7.5cm for Asetek Invicta and Asetek Forte respectively for comparison). The applied force is distributed very well among the foot, and the machined surface enhances grip. However, the throttle pedal seems too narrow to me. This face plate, which is oval, has a maximum width of 4.5 cm on the center part, while the plates of the Invicta and Forte models are square with a constant width of 5.5 cm. Also, the brake and throttle plates are quite close, so I do not recommend the use of wide shoes for people with large feet, since the throttle foot could interfere with the brake plate (the latter is also slightly ahead of the throttle, imitating the design of the original vehicle, as indicated in the manual). These differences, although notable, do not prevent the use of the pedal set, and I also understand that I am dealing with a highly customized model, so I would have to raise this complaint not to Asetek, but to Mr. Pagani.
There are three other parameters that can be adjusted on this pedalboard: throttle travel distance, preload, and pedal stiffness. The first is the throttle travel distance, with the same method that adjusts the angle of the pedals, but now acting on the thumbnuts that are located behind the pedal. This is the only adjustment in which an Allen key is required, a bit of a shame because they have taken away my chance to say that this pedal board is adjusted exclusively by hand. To give the reader some guidance, the travel distance of this throttle pedal is considerably shorter than that of a Fanatec ClubSport v3.
On the other hand, the brake and throttle preloads are adjusted using the thumbnuts located on the rods of both pedals, and the stiffness of the pedals can be modified with the two springs (throttle) and three elastomers (brake) that Asetek provides. The default setting contains the stiff spring and the medium elastomer, and I am quite happy with how both pedals feel.
The brake pedal
Let’s get to the heart of it, talking about tech: what is “T.H.O.R.P.”? Asetek aims to make the difference with other high-end pedals with its brake pedal, which uses hydraulic pistons trying to faithfully reproduce the feeling of braking in a real racecar.
I remember watching a piece of video in which Jackie Stewart (multiple Formula 1 world champion) talked about driving technique, and emphasized braking saying something like “it’s not about how you press, but how you release the brakes. A lot of people don’t understand this.” To begin with, if Jackie saw me braking, he would surely tell me to focus not only on how I release the brake, but also on how I press, when I press and even why I press the brake pedal!!! However, I can glimpse what he means about the pedal release, and I believe that it is in this phase where the characteristics of the brake pedal have the most influence.
It all has to do with muscle memory. If we want to obtain optimal performance on the track, we need to “code” our muscles so that, lap after lap, the actions are homogeneous. In this sense, applying a certain force with the leg is easier than moving the foot to a certain position. This is why professional drivers usually have a very short brake pedal travel, and they always ask their mechanics to bleed the brake circuit well so that the brake pedal “feels hard” (bleeding the circuit removes any air bubbles, and only brake fluid remains in the pipes, which is practically incompressible compared to air).
This effect is what the T.H.O.R.P. brake pedal aims to emulate. The brake cyilinder’s behavior is divided into two phases, as Gonzalo explained in his article about the Invicta. In a first (brief) moment there is a slight travel of the brake pedal as the load increases, simulating the phase in which the brake pads approach the disc. From there your foot is applying pure hydraulic pressure against the brake cylinder, which, being practically incompressible, does not allow any movement.
I am not a racing driver, therefore I cannot compare the level of realism that this novelty represents, but I can say that this is the best brake pedal I have tried up to date. The adaptation phase has been minimal, and once I configured the maximum pressure I wanted to have on the brake (I am quite far from those 185kg) it took me very little time to adapt to the information that the new pedal gave me when braking. I felt, from the first moment, very comfortable doing “trail braking” (keeping light braking when starting to turn), and I would almost dare to say that I was already more comfortable than with my usual pedals in that phase of braking. To illustrate this feeling, I started testing the pedals the week of the iRacing’s Sebring 12h event. I wanted to try the pedals on a long run, but I doubted if I would have time to adapt. It took me a 1 hour training session to assimilate the pedals as if they had been mine a long time ago.
Conclusions
I conclude this review by stating what I already imagined before receiving these pedals: this is a product of excellent quality, which provides a very good feeling in use. Be careful, the product is very high-end… and the price is too. Especially considering that this set, as well as the standard Invicta, do not have a clutch pedal. However, there is a curious situation: as of the date of publication of this article, the Pagani Huayra R Sim Racing Pedal are available for €787.49, while the Invicta ones are €949.99. As I have mentioned, both models share technology and functionality, differing in aesthetic matters, so this Pagani’s customized version becomes a really attractive alternative to the Invicta model, with a 20% discount if the aesthetic modifications suit your taste.
You can buy them on their official website or in the reseller Simufy for 999 euros.
- Simufy (2% OFF using our code: SFYJ5IPC1Y1KS)
- Asetek (5% OFF using our code: SIMRACER.ES)
