Fans of techAU will know I love a good racing sim and Next Level Racing make some of the best. In the past, you had to choose what kind of racer you were and buy a sim racing setup to match. Those that could siwtch between formula and GT racing styles moved this forward, but they often take a long time to transform.

Not only can you switch between these two configurations rapidly, but the newest racing sim from NLR does that without an allen key, a socket set, twenty minutes of swearing, and skinning your knuckles on a heavy pedal plate. Because it is such a painful chore, almost nobody actually converts their rig. You build it in GT mode, leave it there forever, and just accept that driving an open-wheeler feels a bit awkward.

Next Level Racing says the F-GT Shift (model NLR-R019) can transform in 5 just seconds, or about the same time it takes you to switch your wheel. The new rig is priced at an affordable A$799 in Australia.

How the five-second transition actually works

The secret to the speed on the F-GT Shift is a patent-pending Quick Fold Mechanism built around bespoke cast-metal hinges on the rear legs. Instead of unbolting frame rails to drop the seat height, you release the locking pins at the rear of the frame and drop the back of the seat down toward the floor.

In its upright configuration, the rear legs stand tall to give you a traditional GT, road car, or rally posture. When you fold those rear legs back, the entire seat tilts backward into a reclined Formula bucket position, naturally raising your line of sight toward the top of the wheel deck and angling your body to push forward into the pedals rather than stepping down on them. There is also a middle ground Hybrid setting, which is ideal for modern endurance prototypes or hypercars where the ergonomics sit somewhere between a road car and an F1 tub.

Beyond the main rear hinge, Next Level Racing has made the rest of the cockpit tool-free as well. Using quick-release levers and adjustment tracks, you can slide and tilt the pedal plate, adjust the seat backrest angle, change the wheel plate tube height, and fine-tune the front wheel deck angle without hunting through a drawer for tools. If you share your sim rig with a partner or kids, being able to dial in the ergonomics in seconds for drivers between 120 cm and 200 cm tall is a massive quality-of-life upgrade.

Built for direct drive torque without the flex

Whenever I look at a foldable or quick-adjust cockpit, my immediate concern is structural rigidity. Hinges and quick-release levers are notoriously prone to play, and nothing ruins immersion faster than a wheel deck that bounces up and down or a pedal tray that flexes when you stomp on a stiff load-cell brake.

To counter this, Next Level Racing has steered clear of the flimsy framing found on entry-level folding chairs. The F-GT Shift is constructed from 42 mm diameter tubular steel paired with reinforced cast-metal connections. The whole unit weighs in at 23.1 kg out of the box and supports a maximum driver weight of 150 kg.

More importantly for hardware enthusiasts, Next Level Racing states the frame is recommended for direct drive wheelbases up to 15 Nm of torque, and they have tested it with wheelbases pushing up to 25 Nm. A 15 Nm ceiling comfortably covers the sweet spot of the modern sim racing market, meaning you can bolt on popular wheelbases from Moza, Fanatec, Simagic, Logitech, Thrustmaster, Asetek, or Simucube without worrying about twisting the chassis.

It also includes a heavy-duty shifter arm in the box that can be mounted on either the left or right side of the cockpit, which is great news for Aussies who want their sequential shifter or handbrake on the left for Supercars or local track cars, or on the right for European left-hand-drive machinery.

Breathable seating and clean haptic integration

Anyone who has done a two-hour endurance stint in an Australian summer knows that traditional faux-leather or thick fabric racing buckets turn into absolute sweatboxes. On the F-GT Shift, Next Level Racing is using its reclining SIMAERO Mesh seat. It uses a suspended, breathable mesh construction designed to let air circulate around your back and legs during long sessions.

What I really like about this seat design is how they have handled tactile feedback. If you own or plan to buy the Next Level Racing HF8 or HF8 Pro Haptic Feedback Gaming Pads, you do not have to awkwardly strap the pad over the top of the chair anymore. The SIMAERO seat is designed so the haptic pad installs directly underneath the seat fabric. You get all the vibration cues for kerb strikes, gear shifts, and wheel slip straight through the mesh, while keeping the cockpit looking clean and factory-built.

Despite its strength, the footprint is surprisingly manageable for a home office or living room setup. It measures 148.1 cm long, 58.5 cm wide (or 74.6 cm wide with the shifter arm attached), and 100.3 cm high. While it is not a lightweight chair you can tuck into a wardrobe, Next Level Racing has built concealed wheels into the front of the frame so you can tip it up and roll it out of the way when you need your room back. It also supports a dedicated F-GT Shift Direct Monitor Mount as well as freestanding single and triple monitor stands if you want to expand the rig over time.

Next Level Racing F-GT Shift specifications

• Model number: NLR-R019
• Supported racing positions: Formula, GT, and Hybrid
• Conversion time: Under 5 seconds via tool-free Quick Fold Mechanism
• Frame construction: 42 mm tubular steel with cast-metal hinges in gloss black with matte-black accents
• Recommended wheelbase torque: Up to 15 Nm (tested up to 25 Nm)
• Supported driver height: 120 cm to 200 cm
• Supported max weight: 150 kg
• Seat type: Reclining breathable SIMAERO Mesh seat with under-fabric HF8 and HF8 Pro haptic integration
• Dimensions: 148.1 cm (L) x 58.5 cm (W) x 100.3 cm (H) (74.6 cm width with shifter arm installed)
• Product weight: 23.1 kg (29.6 kg boxed)
• Included extras: Left or right mountable shifter arm, concealed transport wheels, assembly hardware

Australian pricing and availability

The Next Level Racing F-GT Shift Formula and GT Racing Cockpit is available starting October 22, 2026, through local simulation distributor Pagnian Imports and major Australian gaming retailers.

Local pricing is set at A$799. When you consider that global pricing is set at $549 USD in the United States, €499 EUR in Europe, and £449 GBP in the UK, the A$799 Australian sticker price is actually very sharp once you factor in currency conversion and GST.

For sim racers who constantly jump between F1, iRacing open-wheelers, and GT3 tin-tops, paying A$799 for a rigid, direct-drive-ready cockpit that actually delivers on the promise of instant position changes looks like seriously good value.

For more information, head to Next Level Racing.