The science of what makes a good racing game has evolved over the years—from simple games to full-blown setups that resemble an actual race car, it has been challenging to get real-life driving to translate to a video game. Whether you use a simple controller or go out of your way to make an entire race car setup, there are plenty of racing games available on the market. While one might think this is another yearly EA Sports release slash cash grab, does this installation of F1 hold up to previous iterations?

Codemasters has had a lengthy history of developing racing games, namely the Micro Machines series in the 1990s and going on to create the Colin McRae Rally and Dirt series (the late Colin McRae himself also served as a technical director for the series) as well as previous iterations of the F1 series. For F1 24, Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, and Lando Norris appear on the cover. If you’re willing to open your wallet up for the Champions Edition of the game, you’ll be treated to Formula 1 legend Max Verstappen on the cover.

Honestly, I had little familiarity with Formula 1, so this would also serve as my leap into the digital unknown when it comes to gaming reviews. I had no idea where to start. Do I build up my career as a driver? Do I manage an entire Formula 1 team? Do I test my mediocre racing chops against a slew of online opponents? I went and tried all three despite my woefully pedestrian skill in racing games in general. Could I make it to the level of Formula 1 legends like Michael Schumacher? Could I manage a team that could go up against Ferrari or Red Bull? Could I beat someone who most likely blew thousands of dollars on a full-blown racing setup with only a USD30 controller? These were all questions I kept in mind as I played this game.

You can take the wheel in Driver Career mode as yourself or as an established Formula 1 driver. You can set goals for yourself and your performance relative to others on the team, but you’ll have to fight tooth and nail for a contract if you don’t do well. One of my favorite features of this mode is being approached by rival teams in “secret meetings” where you can hear their proposals. You can use this leverage to also negotiate terms for next season or even walk away from your own contract. You also have the opportunity to upgrade your own car parts and take part in test sessions during practices, allowing you to learn the tracks as you play the game. One of my favorite tracks was the Las Vegas circuit, given that I live a stone’s throw away from the circuit itself. Another one of my favorite tracks is the Lusail International Circuit in Qatar.

When I got to actually driving in F1 24, the car graphics didn’t seem like a game that was made in 2024. The actual driving experience made me really stop and think about Codemasters’ attention to detail and realism, since they have had great success with racing games. In F1 24, it takes a lot of effort (the wrong kind, of course) to crash in the rain. Handling—a stat that is extremely valuable in racing games—seems to exist only if you have an actual wheel and pedals, and doesn’t translate well to your average gaming controller. Thankfully for games made in 2024, these issues can be patched at a later date, so players (read: casuals like me who use said USD30 controllers) won’t be stewing about in-game issues for too long.

While there will be limits to what consoles can do, the sky is the limit if you’re playing on PC. My PC seemed to handle the game well on the highest settings, although the look of the game will significantly go up the better your PC is, as is with all games. Sadly, there is a massive FPS drop in cutscenes, but as previously mentioned, this can easily be fixed through a patch. As for building and managing a team, you will need to pay close attention to detail and this may be the best mode if you’re a hardcore fan of Formula 1. Multiplayer is definitely my favorite mode here and I was tested pretty handily even in unranked mode.

If you love Formula 1 or racing games in general, F1 24 is an above-average experience. Even to complete racing noobs such as myself, it’s enjoyable. It doesn’t take much to get into the driver’s seat and race in these iconic tracks, whether you have a full-blown gaming setup or a USD30 controller. However, it doesn’t offer much in the way of innovation, and for some gamers, that might just be okay.

Developer(s): Codemasters
Publisher(s): Electronic Arts, EA Sports
Platform(s): PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

Words by Jose Alvarez
Also published in GADGETS MAGAZINE June 2024 Issue