Formula One has been stagnant in recent years. With the domination of the Mercedes team all but guaranteed since the beginning of the hybrid-era, new rules have injected some much needed spark into the once unquestioned pinnacle of motorsport. F1 2017 is a virtual reflection of that renewed vigor. The wider, faster and more aggressively styled cars are designed to be driven harder; a fundamental shift that brings with it a greater adrenaline-rush than any of the previous F1 games have managed to offer. Along with a greatly expanded career mode, a host of memorable classic cars and a litany of race options, championships and game modes to choose from, F1 2017 goes above and beyond expectations.
The bread and butter of the Codemasters F1 games has long been the career mode, which lets you create your own driver and guide them through their racing career, and F1 2017’s is no different. Aesthetically it’s been buffed out and expanded, adding new animations and team interactions, and showing off more of the infamous F1 paddock all while adding a grander sense to the occasion. For a series that had nailed the atmosphere of a Grand Prix some years ago, these additions add another layer that’s easy to appreciate.
The new upgrade system is another step up from last year, allowing you to focus your team’s R&D efforts on new parts in four key areas–chassis, aerodynamics, powertrain and durability. Where you decide to focus your points largely depends on who you drive for. Go with a team like McLaren and you’ll need to focus heavily on improving the woeful Honda power unit. Whereas for a top tier team like Red Bull or Ferrari, you might be more methodical about how you spend your resource points, focusing instead on areas you might be slightly weaker than your competitors. F1 2017 improves on past entries by being the most transparent entry in the series, giving you more than enough information to directly compare performance to your rivals.
Resource points are earned over the course of a race weekend by meeting your team’s set qualifying and race objectives, as well as completing the practice programmes the team lays out for you in any given practice session. In addition to providing resource points for upgrades, the practice programmes also act as elaborate tutorials, teaching the finer arts of driving a modern Formula One beyond the basics of ‘the racing line’. More complex techniques like fuel and tyre management and determining race strategy are broken down into easily digestible chunks of information, making it easier for new fans to dig into what makes a race weekend so involved.
This level of strategizing extends to the car too, both in and out of the garage. F1 2017 tracks the wear and tear on each component of the engine and the gearbox, in line with real life rules to keep costs down for the smaller teams. Parts aren’t limited, but using more than your allotted amount will result in a grid drop penalty for each infringement. This means having to make tough but meaningful choices about whether to risk running worn parts for a race–leading to greatly reduced power or a possible outright failure–or taking the penalty and hoping you can fight your way back through the field.
When it comes to the look of the cars, they’re nothing short of exquisite. Each of the ten teams and their magnificent machines are modelled down to the finest details, with their sleek carbon-fibre bodywork lusciously reflecting the world around them. Likewise, the circuits themselves also show off the game’s excellent lighting and dynamic weather, which makes a return from previous games. The rare occasions where high-res textures take a moment to load in are a minor blemish on what is an otherwise stunning looking title.
