joining the grid for 2026
Space has always been the enemy of sim racing. Dedicated rigs deliver the best experience, but most of us don’t have a spare room to house one permanently. Playseat has built its reputation on addressing exactly that problem, and the Playseat Challenge DD – F1 Edition is its latest attempt to give sim racers a proper setup without surrendering the living room.
The headline feature is the foldable design borrowed from the Playseat Challenge X. When you’re done racing, the whole rig folds up and stands upright for storage – no dismantling required, no parts scattered across the garage. It’s a formula Playseat has refined over the years, but this version has been engineered to take things up a notch and handle the increased forces of direct drive wheelbases, which have become increasingly popular as prices have dropped.
We enjoyed racing with the Playseat Challenge X Logitech G Edition, though it was bounce and movement through the main wheel arm that let it down. We also managed to send our pedals flying across the room in a particularly heavy braking zone, not ideal. The additional braces on the Challenge DD should resolve this, but only time will tell.
F1 positioning, developed with the real thing
The “F1 Edition” designation isn’t just marketing. Playseat says the Challenge DD – F1 Edition was co-developed with Formula 1 racers and engineers to deliver an authentic seating position. That means a lower, more reclined stance compared to GT-style rigs – legs up, arms out, the sort of position you’d find in an actual single-seater.
Build quality centres on Playseat’s Twinlock system, a mechanical locking mechanism designed to maximise rigidity once you’ve got everything set up. Flex has historically been the weakness of foldable rigs, so it’s good to see the company addressing that head-on. The seat itself uses ActiFit fabric, which Playseat claims offers decent support while keeping airflow moving during longer sessions.
pricing and availability
The Playseat Challenge DD – F1 Edition will launch at £349 in the UK (€399 / $399), which positions it competitively against other mid-range foldable options. It’ll be available in late January exclusively through Playseat.com at launch.
