Frontier Developments is the publisher of F1 Manager 2022 game, which is the first installment in the modern F1 Manager series. At the same time, this game is the first licensed manager game since F1 Manager (launched back in 2000) by EA Sports.
The game will be available on pretty much any platform, whether it’s Xbox, Playstation, or PC. For Nintendo Switch, there are currently no plans. The first game in the series does not have a multiplayer option, so the cross-platform idea is useless in this situation.
F1 Manager 2022 is a game that is surprisingly focused on every possible aspect of Formula One, outside of driving, of course. From controlling the financial aspects of the team to managing your driver’s ERS usage, fuel usage, and tires during a race, the game aims to put players firmly in the shoes of an actual team principal. The focus on detail carries over into aspects like a pit stop, celebrations, and podium animations. For example, Alpine released a video showing the pit crew undergoing a motion capture process. For a management game, it is a big thing that motion capture has been utilized.
Photo: autoevolution
Staying in the graphics zone, all the drivers available at the start of the game, whether F1, F2, or even F3, have been through full facial capture, and they look fantastic. However, the car’s movement is sometimes weird when you switch to onboard or track cameras.
The steering movement is unnatural; sometimes, the cars go through some slow corners with unrealistic speed. Now, let’s get back to how incredible the details are. For example, if a driver or staff member swaps teams, their racing suit/shirt will also change. I know it’s insignificant, and you could definitely live without it, but it’s cool.
Many racing fans were curious about how many seasons you can play this game. F1 22 MyTeam mode is limited to ten seasons, so it’s safe to assume F1 Manager would be similar. Well, it’s not. The game has no limit, meaning players could manage until Mick Schumacher’s grandson retires. Every time a driver or a staff member retires, they will be replaced by a game-generated character. Plus, you have the F2 and F3 drivers and staff, so there are a lot of options to choose from. Unfortunately, you will not be able to manage any teams lower than F1.
We settled that you can change sponsors, upgrade facilities and do a ton of administrative stuff, but now let’s talk about a race weekend. From the practice sessions to pit stop strategies, every element of a race is on full display. Sprint races are not a feature in this game, and pre-season testing is more of a simulation in the background. All the other elements of an F1 race are present, whether it’s changing weather, safety cars, or red flags.
Photo: autoevolution
As we said earlier, you can use different track cameras and onboard camera angles while at the same time, you have a top-down view. Varying the speeds of the race is a thing, too, so you won’t have to stay almost two hours at a time to manage your team.
During a race, if something important like a crash or a big overtake happens, an option to watch the replay will appear at the top of the screen. A bit of a downgrade is that you can’t create your custom team. Imagine how nice it would have been to start a group in F3 and promote it up to F1 supremacy.
Conclusion
You could believe this game is the licensed and glorified version of Motorsport Manager, but I think it’s much more. Add up all the little details that may seem unimportant, but you will experience something totally different from any game you know before.
Without a doubt, in the future, things like custom teams, online mods, and so on will be introduced to create an even better experience. For the first game in a franchise, F1 Manager 2022 is a good one and will keep you interested for a long time. Plus you can manage Ferrari and pull them out from their current misery.
Rating: 85/100