The Fanatec CSL DD is a direct drive base. There is no belt and no gears between the motor and your hands, so it shows you everything the game sends. That is good, and it is also why bad settings feel worse on it than on a cheap wheel.
Here is what I would set on the base and in the game.
Fanatec CSL DD tuning menu
Set these on the wheel itself or in the Fanatec software on PC. The values are stored in the base.
| Setting | Value | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| SEN | Auto | Steering range. The game sets it |
| FF | 100 | Total force of the base |
| FFS | Peak | How the force is scaled |
| NDP | 25 | Natural damper |
| NFR | Off | Natural friction |
| NIN | Off | Natural inertia |
| INT | 4 | Smoothing of the signal |
| FEI | 100 | Sharpness of the effects |
| FOR | 100 | Force signal from the game |
| SPR | 100 | Spring signal from the game |
| DPR | 100 | Damper signal from the game |
FF 100. The standard CSL DD has 5 Nm. That is not a lot for a direct drive base, so use all of it and set the level in the game.
NDP 25. A direct drive motor has almost no friction of its own. With no damping, the wheel can shake left and right on the straights. A little natural damper stops that. Do not go much higher, or the wheel gets slow.
INT 4. F1 2021 sends a rough signal. Some smoothing takes the grain out of it. Higher than 6 and you start to lose detail.
FEI 100. Full sharpness for the kerbs and bumps. If the effects feel harsh, lower FEI to 80 before you touch anything else.
F1 2021 force feedback settings for the CSL DD
Go to Settings, then Controls, Vibration and Force Feedback. Select the wheel, press Edit and open Vibration and Force Feedback.
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Vibration and force feedback | On |
| Strength | 70 |
| On track effects | 20 |
| Rumble strip effects | 25 |
| Off track effects | 20 |
| Wheel damper | 0 |
| Understeer enhance | Off |
The values for the other wheels are in my F1 2021 wheel settings guide. The bigger Fanatec base has its own page: Podium DD2 and CSL Elite settings.
Strength 70
With FF at 100 on the base, 70 in the game keeps the motor below its limit in the fast corners. You feel the load build through a corner like Copse or Pouhon, and you feel it drop when the front tyres slide.
If the fast corners all feel the same, go down to 60. If it is too light, go up in steps of 5.
Low effects
A direct drive base is very sharp. An effect at 20 on this wheel is stronger in your hands than the same effect at 40 on a belt. On track at 20 and rumble strip at 25 are plenty. More than that and the kerbs cover the feel of the tyres.
Wheel damper 0
The damping is already done on the base with NDP. A second damper in the game only makes the wheel heavier and slower. Leave it at 0.
Calibration settings
In the same screen, open Calibration.
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Steering deadzone | 0 |
| Steering linearity | 0 |
| Steering saturation | 0 |
| Throttle deadzone | 0 |
| Throttle linearity | 0 |
| Throttle saturation | 0 |
| Brake deadzone | 0 |
| Brake linearity | 0 |
| Brake saturation | 0 |
Everything at 0. Then check the pedals in the test screen.
If you have a load cell brake, do not fix it with brake saturation. Set the brake force on the Fanatec side (the BRF value, or the software on PC) so that your hardest push in a race shows 100 in the test screen. A load cell reads pressure and not travel, and that is the same thing your foot does in a real car.
Steering linearity is optional. If the car feels nervous around the centre on the straights, try 5. I would start at 0.
With the Boost Kit
The Boost Kit takes the CSL DD from 5 Nm to 8 Nm. The settings stay the same. The wheel is heavier everywhere and it has more room before it clips.
If it is too heavy for a full race distance, lower FF on the base to 70 or 80 and leave the game strength where it is. You are faster with a wheel you can hold for fifty laps than with one that wins an arm wrestle.
Console
The tuning menu lives in the base, so you set it the same way on PlayStation and Xbox, with the buttons on the wheel. The game values are the same on every platform.
What to change when it does not feel right
One change at a time, three laps each.
| Problem | Change | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Fast corners all feel the same | Game strength down to 60 | The motor is clipping |
| Wheel too light | Game strength up 5 at a time | More force, until it clips |
| Wheel shakes on the straights | NDP up to 35 | More damping at the centre |
| Wheel feels slow and heavy | NDP down to 15 | Less damping |
| Grainy, notchy feel | INT up to 6 | More smoothing |
| Kerbs too harsh | FEI down to 80, or rumble strip to 15 | Softer effects |
| Not enough detail | INT down to 2 | Less smoothing |
| Arms tired after ten laps | FF down to 80 | Less total force |
| Steering range looks wrong | SEN back to Auto | The game sets the range |
Next steps
- The car matters more than the base. Every track is in my F1 2021 setups hub.
- Set the view: F1 2021 camera settings.
- Decide on the assists: F1 2021 assists and AI difficulty.
- Then the driving: F1 2021 tips.
- Other wheels: Logitech G29 and G920 and Thrustmaster T300, TX and TMX.
- Same base, other games: ACC Fanatec settings and Gran Turismo 7 Fanatec settings.
FAQ
What are the best Fanatec CSL DD settings for F1 2021?
On the base: SEN Auto, FF 100, FFS Peak, NDP 25, NFR Off, NIN Off, INT 4, FEI 100. In the game: strength 70, on track effects 20, rumble strip 25, off track 20, wheel damper 0 and understeer enhance Off.
Should FFS be Peak or Linear on the CSL DD?
Peak. It lets the base use its full force for short moments. Linear is the safer choice only if you run very high force and feel the wheel go flat.
Do I need different settings with the Boost Kit?
No. Use the same numbers. If the wheel is too heavy, lower FF on the base to 70 or 80.
Why does my CSL DD shake on the straights in F1 2021?
A direct drive motor has almost no friction, so it can oscillate around the centre. Raise NDP to 30 or 35 and keep both hands on the wheel.
What should SEN be for F1 2021?
Auto. The game then sets the steering range for the car. An F1 car needs about 360° from lock to lock.
Do these settings work on the Gran Turismo DD Pro?
The DD Pro uses the same motor as the CSL DD, so I would start from the same values. I have not checked every menu on that base.