F1 fans have had to wait a long time to get their teeth into a true management game. Twenty-two years in fact, a period which has seen gaming embrace incredible levels of detail and realism.
Given the sport’s booming popularity around the world and the success of the Codemasters series of official F1 racing games, which have been around for more than a decade now, it feels like the perfect time to branch out into the management sphere.
Regular players of the F1 racing series will have dabbled in creating and managing a new team, a new option to the game in the last few years. It’s certainly been an excellent addition but the priority for Codemasters, now owned by Electronic Arts, is the actual racing and gameplan, as it should be. So the makers of F1 Manager 2022, Frontier Developments, haven’t quite stepped on the toes of Codemasters, more given them a little nudge.
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For me, there was a disappointment before I even started playing. You can take charge of any team on the 2022 grid but, unlike in the recent F1 racing games, you cannot create your own team.
In fairness to Frontier, they do need to keep a few innovations back to give people a reason to buy future editions of the game, which should be forthcoming following this promising effort.
It’s not perfect. Having seen some stunning pre-release screenshots of the on-track action, I was a little underwhelmed by the visuals. But again, that’s something that can be improved upon in the future.
But the detail involved is hugely impressive. You have complete control over every aspect of your chosen team, from drivers to key staff, technical developments to car setup and strategy – and that’s to name just a few.
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(Image: F1 Manager 2022)
I took over Aston Martin and immediately sacked Lance Stroll and replaced him with Alpine reserve driver Oscar Piastri. I’d happily move Sebastian Vettel on too but have opted to wait for the end of the season when his contract expires before bringing in a young gun. I’ve got my eye on Alex Albon, although my scouting team has already started recommending F2 drivers, which are also part of the game, along with their F3 counterparts.
There are options to simulate sessions, which is tempting for practice, but not advisable if you want to get the most out of the game. To increase the driver’s confidence and performance, it’s imperative to fine-tune the setup of the cars. While that sounds like a chore, it’s actually quite satisfying when you see your drivers’ lap times come down and move up the order.
And there is the option to speed up all sessions, which is probably for the best unless you’re prepared to give up your job and dedicate your entire life to the game!
However, even if you do that, F1 Manager is a game that needs time – and lots of it – to perfect. Even getting used to the various menus isn’t straightforward and is perhaps something that can be made easier to navigate in the future.
But all in all, this is a solid first effort at an F1 management sim by Frontier. Wish me luck in trying to guide Aston Martin to glory!
Rating: 7/10
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