INSTALLATION

After reading the black and white manual, I moved my current pedals aside and placed the Formula 99 unit in place of it. Then I moved my keyboard and placed the wheel unit where it was situated. It was now the time to clamp this puppy, I looked for the L-shaped piece with a wingnut on it. I was a bit of a skeptic on how this clamping system was going to actually keep this unit from moving, I mean it looked primitive. Look how it did. I slid this piece in the front hoop of the wheel unit and tightened it up. Believe it or not it, the wheel unit did not move! Wow! It worked!

The next step involved hooking up the pedals; two cables did this. But after reading the manual, it mentioned something about not connecting the clutch pedal to wheel unit and it could cause some calibration problems for games that don't recognize it. So for the first go around with the wheel, I didn't do it. Then I took the gameport cable from the wheel unit and connected to the gameport.

As per the instructions, I created my control device in the Game Controller applet. I, calibrated, and clicked Apply. Success! This was a breeze!


COMPATIBILITY

Depending on the game, you can opt to use the clutch pedal by connecting its cable to the wheel unit and you can switch the axes on the pedals as either same axis, which most games recognize or separate axes. The latter would move the one pedal on joystick 1 and the other on joystick 2 and the clutch on joystick 2. You also have the option to keep the clutch plugged in and use that pedal as your brake pedal, thus giving a wider stance. But why? This a serious racing system, so I feel to leave each pedal its proper designation.

For the shifting chores, you can opt for either the paddles or the shifter, since they are both wired as button 1 and 2. I didn't like the feel of the shifter. it felt loose and sloppy. But I loved the paddles; they were perfectly laid out.

I do like the flexibility of features of compatibility for games. The Formula 99 flew through this area.


PERFORMANCE

I have been talking about feel throughout the review, so how does it relate to in your overall performance when racing simulations? Let me explain the key for me in being successful in simulation racing. It's the feel that a racing system gives me. I have noticed in the past that some racing systems usually gave me a flat or bland type of feel. Maybe I should replace feel with the word sense. Meaning when I am in the process of working on a setup for a particular racing event, I can't tell what the car's attitude is doing. I need to be able to sense what the car is doing in order to succeed. Since simulations don't give you any type of inertia whatsoever, when I find a racing system that I can actually sense the responses from the car, I will be able tomake adjustments quicker and easier without taking all day. These responses are also noted by the laptimes being run. Do you understand? My success is not based price of a racing system; it's the feel or sensation as I use the product. You need to have a racing system that makes feel as if you are as one or in sync. Once you have established this unison, it will be easier to create setups. Think of it as you are the device are in harmony as you move the wheel and work the pedals. You will feel what the car is doing in a sixth sense. The importance is in how it feels to you. Once you have gotten that, then you will be rewarded with success. Maybe it's due to the fact that I used to race in real life? Who knows? Not everyone will agree with my methods on this. Of course, for the arcade or casual racer all this goes out the window.

With my experience with the Formula 99, I was on either on par of slightly off my lap times in various simulations. The unit felt perfect as I drove at Mosport in Grand Prix Legends or running circles at Texas in NASCAR 99. I was at home with the Formula 99. Pedal and wheel tensions were modeled well, as they weren't so light that I could drop my foot. But still I didn't like how that plastic covering on the pedals which was bending as I moved my feet about. I was hoping that I would get over it. The plastic kept caving in as I pressed on the pedals. At times the bar that runs up from the base of the unit would get in my way. I hope there could be revisions as to bend these pieces away from one's feet. so those bar couldn't get in your way. Yet, I was very impressed with the overall feel and performance the system gave me.


VALUE

With a steep price, I must wonder why it costs over a grand. I know there are bills to be paid, but with the usage of a flimsy plastic molded casing over the units, and the usage of wood, seems to make it look cheap. Yet MDF board isn't, but all their products use MDF wood. (MDF is cheaper than solid oak ; P) This means it should even out. I can see the MOMO wheel being the most expensive as well as the little MOMO peddle grills. But all this for $1050? Could the price be part of the power lunches that were being done during the thought process? Hell, I remember one my good friends at Garrett Turbo telling me a one particular turbo that was thought up over those power lunches and it cost the turbo to be built under a grand. Yet, they sold it to the guy for $5000!

But does it have enough value for the serious sim racer? Its materials and construction being its drawback.


BOTTOMLINE

The Formula 99 is still an outstanding product, even with the little quirks I have mentioned. It's definitely one of those racing systems that fits the bill for the serious sim racer. Being Thomas Enterprises' flagship, it does uphold their reputation as what I call the "Corvette" of racing systems. Keep in mind that there are several models available at Thomas Enterprises; there should be at least one which fits your bill. Overall it's a very impressive system, but with the noted drawbacks, I don't think it's worth the $1050.