F1 follows a similar racing template that other Codemasters titles have already employed. The cars handle well, there is a light damage component, and you can use flashbacks to rewind the game to before you crashed. Although the car handling can be changed with different assists to suit your liking and damage isn’t as disastrous as you might think, the main thing that the game achieves in the gameplay department is the lightness of the cars and the high acceleration that’s possible. Combined, these two elements can be dangerous; you’ve got to learn to baby tight turns, otherwise you are going to easily spin out. The game also layers in factors such as how much gas you have in your tank (which means you lose grip as the race goes on because your car becomes lighter), the heat of your tires, and the performance of your engine. The latter two are important because when the tires and engine are in the zone, you’ll turn out better lap times.

Combining ease of use both on and off the track is the key to why this game stands out. I can’t say that either aspect of the game is the most involved you are going to see, but simply having interviews and team objectives is great for a season-based racing game. Couple that with accessible racing and an eye towards realism, and Codemasters finally delivers an F1 game everyone can enjoy.