P1Sim Mistral Pedals
In 2021 brothers Benoit and Benjamin, fueled by their love and passion for racing, founded P1Sim. Based in France, the company’s goal was to provide drivers with the most authentic racing experience on virtual circuits. Drawing from their backgrounds as a former GT3 car race mechanic (Benoit) and a single-seater race engineer (Benjamin), they comprehend the quality and control that virtual drivers expect and require.
Despite being a relatively young company, P1Sim has quickly made a name for itself in the simracing world, particularly with the P1Sim Eau Rouge steering wheel, which we reviewed some time ago. They later expanded their lineup with the Arnage steering wheel and, more recently, the Mistral pedal set. During our visit to the ADAC Simracing Expo 2023, we had the opportunity to have an in-depth conversation with Benoit, who kindly offered us the chance to review the Mistral pedal set. Naturally, we enthusiastically accepted, and we’re excited to share our experience with this pedal set.
At the time of writing, the P1Sim Mistral 2-pedal set (throttle and brake) is available on the P1Sim webshop for €649.00. For the 3-pedal set (throttle, brake, and clutch), the price is €899.00. Both configurations come in nine color combinations. Additionally, there’s an option to purchase a pedal plate and carbon heel rests. The additional costs range from €69.00 for just the pedal plate to €218.00 for the pedal plate plus three carbon heel rests. All prices include VAT and exclude shipping costs. We received the most comprehensive pedal set in black with blue accents from P1Sim, costing a total of €1117.00.
Packaging & Contents
We received two brown shipping boxes, delivered within three working days by UPS as per P1Sim’s announcement. Inside these brown shipping boxes, we find attractive product boxes. The product boxes are primarily black with the P1 logo and purple and white details, presenting a modern and stylish appearance, something we always appreciate. Upon opening the smaller box, we discover three carbon heel rests, neatly protected in black foam, along with a bag of mounting accessories. In the larger box’s top layer, we find the carbon footplates, a USB cable, a textured sticker for the brake pedal, and a metal heel rest. In the layer below, there are the three individual pedals, a bag of mounting accessories, and a bag of extra elastomers. Beneath the last layer, we uncover the pedal plate. Everything is securely packaged in black foam with cutouts for the products, ensuring safe delivery.
Technology & Quality
The P1Sim Mistral pedals are constructed with a cast aluminum frame, CNC-machined, and finely finished with a black powder coating. Combined with the carbon footplates in distinctive shapes, this creates a highly streamlined unit. A notable feature of the P1Sim Mistral pedal set is the integration of a haptic motor in both the brake and throttle pedals. Unlike some other systems, there is no visible external addition; it is seamlessly integrated into the pedal. The haptic feedback can be used, for example, to simulate anti-lock braking systems (ABS) and the feel of traction control (TC), with the ability to adjust intensity levels via the natively supported SimHub software.
The foundation of the pedal set is the brake pedal, housing the controller to which the throttle and clutch pedals are connected. The connection to the PC is made via a USB cable from the brake pedal, avoiding unnecessary cables. Furthermore, all pedals come with integrated cable management, reducing the visibility of cables when the pedals are mounted. The distinctive footplates are crafted from carbon and can be mounted in two positions (high or low) on the pedal. An anti-slip pad is also included, which can be attached to the footplate of the brake pedal.
All pedals have an adjustable angle, allowing us to tilt the pedal eight degrees backward or forward. This is achieved by loosening all colored components on the shaft of each pedal. Then, by turning the shaft left or right, the pedal tilts backward or forward. Using the colored adjusting screws at the front of each pedal, we can determine the amount of travel.
The throttle pedal comes with a soft spring by default, which you can replace with the included hard spring for more resistance. The brake pedal includes additional elastomers (soft, medium, hard, and super hard), allowing you to create four different configurations. Technically, there are six possible combinations, but P1Sim advises against using the soft/hard and medium/super hard combinations as the cylinder housing the elastomers is not suitable for these. The clutch pedal is relatively straightforward, allowing adjustment only to the spring’s hardness.
The entire system is controlled by the P1Sim Control Center for calibration and various curves. Through a P1Sim Control Center plugin in SimHub, we can adjust the haptic motors, with many functions (such as ABS and TC) already available by default.
Assembly & Adjustment
We’re going to mount the P1Sim Mistral pedals on the pedal deck of our Sim-Lab P1X Pro rig. To do this, we follow the instructions in the provided Quick Guide from P1Sim, which we find exceptionally well-detailed and clear. The pedal plate has cutouts for each pedal, and we start by mounting the pedals without fully tightening them. Each pedal has bottom cutouts for neatly guiding the cables; once the cables are in place, we tighten the pedals one by one. Finally, we mount the three carbon heel rests, and then we can screw the whole assembly onto the pedal deck of our sim rig.
The pedals offer numerous adjustment possibilities, including the distance between the pedals and the pedals and heel rests. Since both are mounted through the pedal plate, we had to loosen the entire assembly from the pedal deck twice. We then made the necessary adjustments before screwing the assembly back onto the pedal deck. Although it might sound relatively straightforward – and it is, to an extent – this entire process took us around an hour and a half. Fortunately, it’s a one-time task, and with everything in place, we connect the USB cable to our PC, and we’re ready to (almost) start racing and begin fine-tuning the pedals themselves.
Software
To use the pedals, it’s necessary to install SimHub and download the file named Control Center from the P1Sim website. We’ve already installed SimHub, and after downloading and running Control Center, this plugin becomes available in SimHub, adding an extra menu. Clicking on this menu reveals that the pedals have the status ‘connected,’ and the following options appear: calibration, mapping, motors, and profiles.
In the calibration menu, we can individually calibrate the pedals and set any dead zones. The mapping menu allows us to create different curves for each pedal. In the motors menu, we can adjust the haptic motors; however, this feature is still in development, so these settings need to be adjusted for now through the ‘Toggle Motors’ menu, as described below. All mentioned settings can be saved in the profiles menu, and from there, they can be loaded, duplicated, or deleted.
Under the ‘Arduino’ menu, we verify whether the pedals also have the ‘connected’ status. This can be somewhat confusing if you have multiple Arduino devices, as the Mistral pedals don’t display a specific device name. Fortunately, in our case, we can assume that the pedals are assigned to the com10 port, as our other devices have recognizable names. Through the ‘Toggle Motors’ menu, under the ‘effects profile’ tab, we can activate the effects we want to use. It’s advisable not to activate too many at once, as it becomes confusing to discern the feedback felt on the pedals. Therefore, we select ABS for the brake pedal and Road Vibration and TC for the throttle pedal, as we believe these three effects provide the most added value. Under the ‘motors output’ tab, we can configure the activated effects and adjust the percentages (how much percent of the effect is felt). To test the operation of the haptic motors, we click on ‘Test now’ for Channel 1 (throttle pedal) and Channel 2 (brake pedal).
Using the P1Sim Mistral Pedals
With the pedals mounted, calibrated, and configured in SimHub, it’s almost time to hit the virtual track for our first laps! We first adjust the amount of travel on the pedals to ensure we don’t overextend our feet. Once that’s done, it’s time to start our first session in Assetto Corsa Competizione.
The initial impression is immediately positive, and the pedals provide a familiar feel. They are robust, and we feel comfortable applying significant force without fearing that the pedals will yield. There is no noticeable play, and the pedals operate smoothly. The carbon footplates are a new experience for us and initially feel a bit chilly on our socks, but that sensation dissipates before our first lap is over. Due to their eccentric shapes, the footplates have a good size and feel comfortable under the foot, although they can be a bit slippery when driving with socks. However, this isn’t necessarily a drawback, as we appreciate the pedals gliding a bit under our feet. With shoes on, we have good grip on the footplates, making the included textured sticker unnecessary. The carbon heel rests provide comfortable support under the heel and keep our feet in place. This is very pleasant but can be a drawback when using our left foot for the clutch. We personally prefer a throttle and brake pedal combination, where the carbon heel rests are a great solution.
Throttle Pedal
The throttle pedal, apart from the aforementioned travel adjustments, is, for us, out-of-the-box immediately good, and we can operate it comfortably. The pedal feels smooth and responds very accurately when pressed. The end-stop is equipped with plastic damping, resulting in minimal noise when fully depressing the pedal. Overall, we are very satisfied with the feel of the pedal; it’s very smooth! The return of the gas pedal to the neutral position is fast, seamless, and feels somewhat dampened.
Adjusting the throttle pedal is remarkably easy and requires no tools. By loosening the blue ring on the shaft, we can then adjust the spring tension to our liking using the black ring. Interestingly, we cannot adjust the angle of the shaft on the Mistral pedals, but P1Sim has addressed this by providing an additional heavier type of spring. We’ve tested this, but personally find it feels too heavy while racing in our virtual GT3 cars. Our choice has fallen on the standard spring, making the throttle pedal a good all-around option. Even for sim racers who prefer a lighter throttle pedal, this model will be comfortable.
Brake Pedal
The brake pedal, a load cell variant, comes out of the box with the soft-medium configuration. The resistance on the brake pedal is pleasant, and we experience a reasonable amount of travel that gradually increases. The soft-medium setting provides a good, realistic experience when driving street or sports cars. During testing, it’s noted that the pedal returns slightly slower to its neutral position, but this does not impact the driving experience.
Since we primarily drive GT3 cars, we observe that this setting is not quite ideal for us. Depressing the brake pedal deeply is quite easy and doesn’t match the pedal feel we often seek with other brake pedals. We adjust the settings to a medium-hard configuration, making the brake pedal feel much more familiar to us. With this setting, we experience a balanced feel, resulting in a comfortable driving experience. Braking powerfully and then modulating the brake pedal is effortless and confident.
Of course, we also tried the hardest setting of the brake pedal. With this, the pedal has become significantly firmer, making the brake pedal feel more direct. Braking and modulation require more force, but it still feels natural. With a higher preload, the pedal feels even firmer, although there is still some travel left in the pedal. We find this setting too firm for the brake pedal, but for enthusiastic Formula racers who want a pedal that feels as hard as a brick, this pedal may be suitable.
Changing the elastomers can be easily done by loosening the shaft and then removing the blue screw cap from the brake cylinder. This allows the entire assembly to be taken out so that the elastomers can be replaced with the desired ones. This step can be performed entirely without tools, and a total of four different configurations are possible by combining the elastomers.
Clutch Pedal
Straight out of the box, the clutch pedal already has a very pleasant resistance and a good pedal feel. This makes this pedal quickly feel familiar to us. It is a light clutch pedal and can be operated easily in a smooth and natural manner. The mechanism simulating the engagement point is well executed, providing us with a good sense of the engagement point when we depress the pedal. The preload of the clutch pedal can be adjusted with the adjusting screw on the spring.
We appreciate a clutch pedal with a slightly shorter travel, which feels comfortable. However, we have noticed that the engagement point comes relatively late. Therefore, we opted for a compromise, where the travel is slightly shorter but the engagement point is still felt at a pleasant moment. There’s not much else to say about the clutch pedal; it’s a fine pedal to use.
Haptic feedback
We are incredibly excited about the haptic feedback, not just because it’s a fun feature but also because it genuinely improves our performance. The physical feedback from the pedals when ABS and TC intervene allows us to anticipate and control the car more precisely, adjusting our throttle input and letting the car roll more accurately. This makes us feel more in tune with what the car is doing in Assetto Corsa Competizione (and other racing games), enabling us to fine-tune our ABS and TC settings and making us less “dependent” on these settings.
The ‘Road Vibration’ effect, as we have set it up, is a nice addition to the experience. For example, the brake pedal vibrates when hitting a curbstone on the left, and we feel the road vibrations, while the gas pedal does the same for similar situations on the right. The settings in SimHub provide a lot of freedom, allowing us to unleash our creativity in determining the effects physically displayed on the pedals. It doesn’t surprise us, given this and other recent experiences, that haptic feedback is increasingly offered on pedal sets, and we expect this trend to continue in the future.
Conclusion
After extensive test drives with the Mistral pedal set in Assetto Corsa Competizione, we can conclude that this set delivers impressive performance and boasts excellent build quality. The initial impression upon using the pedals was immediately positive, offering a familiar feel with sturdiness and smooth operation. The addition of carbon footplates and heel rests adds a new dimension to the appearance and experience, although the smoothness when driving with socks might be a minor drawback.
The throttle pedal performed well for us right out of the box, providing a smooth and precise response, comfortable operation, and muted sound when fully depressed. The return to the rest position is quick and fluid. The brake pedal comes out of the box with the standard soft-medium elastomer configuration, which we find comfortable, with a gradual increase in travel. For GT3 cars, we prefer the medium-hard elastomer configuration, resulting in effortless and familiar braking. The clutch pedal has a pleasant resistance and feel right out of the box. The pedal can be operated easily and naturally, with a well-executed engagement point simulation mechanism. Adjusting the spring preload is possible while maintaining the comfortably noticeable engagement point.
The haptic feedback not only adds fun to the experience but also proves to be functional in improving performance. The tangible feedback during ABS and TC interventions allows us to anticipate better and respond more accurately. The ‘Road Vibration’ effect is a nice addition that enhances immersion. The freedom to adjust settings in SimHub provides the opportunity to unleash our creativity and tailor the feedback to your preferences.
The Mistral pedal set generally provides an excellent mix of build quality, adjustability, and tactile feedback, making it an appealing choice for serious sim racers. If, after reading our review, you’re excited about it and want to purchase the P1Sim Mistral pedal set, you can get it starting at €649.00 through the P1Sim online store.
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