EVERY year gamers await the announcement of the new Formula 1 game with bated breath. Codemasters, the developers of the F1 series, has not disappointed in their reveal of F1 2020.
As the real Formula 1 season remains in limbo, drivers and fans have taken to the virtual world of sim racing to get their F1 fix. For example, F1 has so far hosted three virtual Grands Prix of which Charles Leclerc has won two.
Though the races aren’t the real thing they are still highly entertaining in their own right. Several drivers have joined in the fun too, from Leclerc, Alex Albon, George Russell, and Nicolas Latifi to Carlos Sainz, Lando Norris, Antonio Giovinazzi, and former drivers such as Stoffel Vandoorne, Esteban Gutierrez, and Anthony Davidson.
It hasn’t only been F1 drivers mixing it in the virtual races either, as golf legend Ian Poulter, Real Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois, and British singer Liam Payne have all participated.
What is most fun about the Formula 1 game is that it can be adjusted for any level of racer from absolute beginner to all out sim racer. Since taking over development of the F1 game franchise, Codemasters have gone from strength to strength and produced highly impressive F1 games over the years. Normally, a new F1 game would be released well after the start of the actual F1 season. However, as we live through unprecedented times F1 2020’s release on July 10 will be the first title to be released before the start of an F1 season.
The recent announcement has caused quite a serious amount of excitement among fans of the series.
First off, the pre-order deluxe version of the title, dubbed the Schumacher edition, will include four of Michael Schumacher’s greatest F1 cars. It includes the 1991 Jordan, in which he made his debut, both Benetton cars in which he won titles in 1994 and 95, and the 2000 Ferrari in which he won his third title and the first of five consecutive championship crowns.
If this isn’t enough to whet the appetite, the F1 2020 game will also include the new additions to the calendar in the form of Vietnam and Zaandvoort.
Effectively, F1 gamers will get to race on these circuits even before the F1 drivers will. Codemasters have maintained the inclusion of the F2 series and have given gamers a choice of three career lengths in career mode.
But by far the biggest news to emerge from the initial announcement of F1 2020 is the news that you, as the gamer, can be the 11th team on the grid. In an extraordinary move, Codemasters have introduced a management feature to the F1 game.
You will be able to create your own team, choose your own livery, and manage your rise through the Formula 1 ranks.
Previously, the management aspect has been reserved for stand-alone titles such as Motorsport Manager, while the F1 game focused on the gamer being the driver. But now Codemasters have combined the best of both worlds. The possibilities seem endless too. Given the ability to customise your own team, there are a number of ways it can be approached.
A completely new team can be introduced or old teams such as Lotus, Brabham, or even Jordan can be brought back to life. New manufacturers such as Porsche, Audi, or VW too can be introduced. The important and most exhilarating point is that the virtual Formula 1 world is your oyster to customise however you see fit.
F1 2020 is available for pre-order on Steam, at a price of R321.
