In this guide, we explore the top three simulation racing games featuring Formula 1 for you to try out as a virtual F1 driver on your computer. Just like how you can enjoy the excitement of online casino games from anywhere, you can now experience racing simulations right from your desktop.
Naturally, there is an ongoing debate among virtual racers regarding whether these F1 titles should be classified as simulation games, arcade games, or a combination of both (simcade). Nevertheless, we have selected three simulation racing titles that provide a realistic and immersive F1 experience on PC, allowing you to enjoy the thrill from the comfort of your own home or wherever you have space for your racing setup.
One obvious choice is the EA Sports title, which includes all the drivers, cars, and tracks from each season. It even offers additional bonuses such as the Legends pack, featuring older cars and even modern Formula 2 vehicles. This game offers a highly immersive experience and is popular among both casual sim racers and professionals, as it is officially sanctioned by F1.
The game proudly presents itself as “The official videogame of the FIA Formula One World Championship,” featuring all the updated cars and the official F1 lineup of your favorite 20 drivers and 10 teams.
This title gained significant attention when it was chosen as the official F1 game for an eSports series involving the top ten teams in the sport. The series hired the best sim racers in the world to compete in the virtual F1 World Championship, turning these virtual racers into well-known figures through F1’s extensive social media network.
However, there have been recent issues within the series, as reported by RacingGames.gg: “In unsurprising news, the first round of the F1 Pro Sim World Championship has been postponed. According to a post on League Racing News, the postponement is a result of a dispute between F1 and the organizers regarding the potential prize pool.”
If you are not interested in the politics surrounding “pretend race cars,” the F1 Game still offers everything you need for an enjoyable experience. There is plenty of content available on YouTube to help you get up to speed, and you can also participate in Pro-Am and Amateur leagues to become more involved.
Formula 1 drivers such as Max Verstappen, Fernando Alonso, and Lando Norris, along with numerous other professional drivers spanning various racing categories including Karting, single-seater racing, GT, and prototypes, can be found on iRacing. While iRacing is not primarily known for its F1 content compared to its GT and NASCAR series, it does hold official licenses for iconic F1 cars such as the Lotus 49, Lotus 79, Williams FW31, McLaren MP4-30, Mercedes W12, and W13.
The historic F1 cars available on iRacing have a limited number of online participants due to their challenging nature. These cars lack the modern assists found in contemporary vehicles, such as traction control and ABS braking. Consequently, driving these old cars to their limits both in real life and in the virtual world is an arduous task.
At the time of writing, the most recent F1 car featured on iRacing is the Mercedes W13, the same car driven by Lewis Hamilton and George Russell in the 2022 Formula 1 World Championship. This car can be raced against other real drivers online or offline against AI opponents.
iRacing describes its Grand Prix series as the fastest, most demanding, and thrilling road racing series available on their platform. The series showcases the Mercedes-AMG F1 W13 E Performance on renowned and challenging circuits from around the world.
These cars, belonging to the A license class, are the fastest and most technologically advanced vehicles in iRacing’s collection. As a driver, you must be at the top of your game to extract maximum performance from this car. Competing against other A-licensed drivers, you can expect fierce competition as they employ every driving trick to gain even the slightest advantage. The iRacing.com Grand Prix Series takes place on world-class circuits, many of which have hosted events on the World Championship calendar.
If you are serious about sim racing or have aspirations to venture into real motorsport, iRacing provides the perfect platform for dedicated online racers to satisfy their passion.
More than ten years after its release in 2013, Assetto Corsa by Kunos has experienced a revival thanks to a dedicated community of professional and amateur modders. These enthusiasts have transformed the simulation game into a must-have for true motorsport fans who enjoy the world of sim racing, or “simming” as it is sometimes called.
In its original form, the game was groundbreaking for its time. Kunos created a solid foundation with a wide selection of cars and tracks, setting the stage for the current version of Assetto Corsa. Today, the game is played by more sim racers than any other virtual racing title, largely due to the Content Management System that has elevated the simulation to new levels of quality and immersion.
Assetto Corsa offers a staggering variety of content, ranging from meticulously crafted mods to less impressive ones that may not even function properly. Virtually every race car and road car ever produced has been faithfully replicated in the game, with a wealth of options available, many of which are free.
For Formula 1 enthusiasts, the game offers an abundance of choices. By carefully selecting cars from the original game, utilizing the Content Management System, and incorporating custom shader patches and other easily installable mods, players can immerse themselves in the world of F1. Mods created by the community cover almost every Formula 1 season, allowing players to race in any era from 1950 to the present day. These mods painstakingly recreate the cars and tracks to provide an authentic experience that closely mirrors the real thing.
By exploring Race Department, the central hub for sim racing news and modding, players can discover a wealth of resources to enhance their Assetto Corsa experience. Whether they are seeking to relive classic Formula 1 seasons or explore the latest developments in sim racing, this platform offers a treasure trove of information and modifications to suit every preference.