Checking out the Nitro Concepts Stand at Autosport International 2025

Autosport International 2025 had its fair share of sim racing stands, with plenty of names that you may recognise if, like me, you spend too much time fantasising over pocket-emptying setups. Nitro Concepts, a new name within the industry, had one of the most popular virtual racing stands, offering visitors a chance to try out a range of products at varying prices. Here’s a quick rundown of everything you need to know about the brand and my hands-on experience with its top-of-the-range rig.

The Story of Nitro Concepts

Like quite a few sim racing brands, Nitro Concepts started out life as a gaming chair company. Owned by Pro Gamers Group (also known by some as Caseking), which controls brands like Overclockers and Noblechairs, it began its venture into sim racing in 2024. Team Nitro, a competitive sim racing team, has been launched to further promote the brand, which is stocked by both Caseking and Overclockers.

After speaking to the team on the stand, it seems there has been solid interest in the brand so far, thanks to its competitive pricing and products that span from entry-level to pretty high-end. The stand was constantly busy, with motorsports enthusiasts of all ages taking an interest in the products. There will be a stand at Gassed on Track at Silverstone later this year, which will be around double the size of the one at the NEC.

Getting Hands-on With the Nitro Concepts Gear

While the C-Racer and S-Racer seem like great chassis, if money is no problem or you have high-end kit, the E-Racer that I tried is the one to go for. The aluminium rig offers the most adjustment and is the sturdiest, perfect for the heavy Moza equipment that was mounted to it. Despite the wheels and pedals’ best efforts, there was no flex or movement at all, so it got my seal of approval.

Similarly, the R300 seat base and slider impressed me. The bucket seat offered great support and added to the immersion and I can imagine it being comfortable for long sessions, thanks to its bolsters and ergonomic design that also makes it easy to enter and exit.

Perhaps my favourite things from the entire setup were the IMMERSION Metahaptics, three pads fitted to the R300 seat. They take the level of immersion one step further, allowing you to feel every bump, gearshift and acceleration, adding to the awareness of what the car is doing beyond the wheel.

The LEDs fitted to the rig weren’t so useful, as I didn’t even notice them while driving, largely because of their position on the chassis. However, with all the information on the screen and the shift lights on the wheel, I doubt I would have gained much from them.

Moza Racing R16 and KS First Impressions

Starting off, the R16 direct drive wheelbase offered an incredible amount of smooth, communicative power, giving me a real feel of what the car was doing. Given its immense 16 Nm of torque, it was quite the step up from my humble Logitech G920 and felt like an upper body workout at times.

Fortunately, though, the power can be dialled down, which would be necessary for longer races and, in my case, to improve lap times, particularly on tracks with tighter corners. At that point I’d question whether it’s worthwhile over a cheaper, less powerful wheel, but there’s no denying how well it translates the on-track action to one’s fingertips.

Attached to the R16 was the Moza Racing KS steering wheel, a GT style wheel that could double as a formula racing wheel if needed. It felt well made, with tactile buttons and satisfying magnetic paddles that just sound premium. It looks like the real deal as well, thanks to its construction from carbon fibre-reinforced composites and the shift lights up top.

The FSR wheel feels even higher quality and appears to be one of the best formula style wheels on the market.

Moza CRP2 Pedals First Impressions

Finally, the Moza CRP2 pedals yet again feel incredibly well-constructed. With a 200 kg load cell sensor, it’s not far off what you’d find in a real life racer, meaning the pedals could be incredible for those needing virtual practice before a big race weekend. They feel very well-weighted, with the throttle pedal having enough resistance to allow for a smooth power delivery. The brake pedal initially felt a little too heavy, although after a few laps I began to test the limits a little more, and the lap times dropped and became consistent.

They were paired with the Performance Kit, which offers 1,764 different configurations, so I have no doubt that I would be able to find the right adjustments to knock some more time off my laps.

Final Thoughts and Price

Overall, it’s pretty clear that I’m blown away by what Nitro Concepts and Moza Racing have to offer. Yes, the gear was on the higher end of sim racing, but everything featured on the stand appeared to represent good value and good quality.

Alongside a high-end gaming PC courtesy of Overclockers (I’m not sure of the specs), a monitor stand and a 49-inch curved Samsung monitor mounted on said stand, the rig came to a total of £7,810. I’m under no illusion that this is cheap, and I can’t imagine ever spending that amount of money on virtual racing, but it offers a level of immersion that can only be beaten by a motion rig.

For reference, a nearby stand had one of these priced at £12,000 with the hardware mounted on it costing about another £8k. Is it good value, then? Comparatively, I guess, but probably not in the grand scheme of things. That being said, if I win a substantial amount of money, the fully kitted out E-Racer in my living room might give it away.

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