Mercedes Dominant In F1 New Balance Esports Pro Series

November 2nd, 2018 by Isher Dhillon

Mercedes continues to dominate both the Formula 1 real world and the virtual one. As Lewis Hamilton secured his fifth FIA Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship at the Mexican Grand Prix last weekend, reigning F1 Esports champion Brendon Leigh – who now has a 43-point lead on Frederik Rasmussen– is on track to secure his second title. Mercedes AMG Petronas Esports leads the Teams’ Championship with 208 points, with Toro Rosso Esports Teams second (137) and Red Bull Racing Esports third (59).

The first race of the event was held at the Circuit Paul Ricard, where the French Grand Prix took place last June. With two laps to go, Leigh and Toro Rosso’s Frederik Rasmussen made contact in their battle for the lead, with the Dane finishing off track and then overtaken by his teammate Patrik Holzmann. Leigh was initially given a five second penalty as a result, but then the decision was later reversed by the stewards – securing him the win.

Silverstone was the stage for the second race of the event and the continuing battle between Leigh and Rasmussen. After Hype Energy eForce India’s Donoso Delgado was given a penalty for speeding in the pit lane, Leigh and Rasmussen were left to fight it out for the race win. The Mercedes driver eventually secured his fourth win, followed by Rasmussen in second. The podium was rounded out by Hype Energy eForce India’s Marcel Kiefer.

The final race of the event took place at the infamous Spa-Francorchamps. With Mercedes AMG Petronas Esports’ Daniel Bereznay out in front by some margin, an intense battle for the other podium place developed on the final lap. Red Bull Racing Esports Team’s Joni Tormala took second after Donoso Delgado was given a penalty for exceeding track limits. Rasmussen stole third in the four-way battle across the line, with Sauber F1 Esports Team’s Salih Saltunc taking fourth from Leigh on the final straight.

The second Pro Series event was streamed live via Facebook and broadcast globally on selected TV networks. Viewing figures are expected to be strong, after the first live event of the Pro Series accumulated 23m impressions and 3.2m views on social media, bringing the excitement and exhilaration of Formula 1 to a new generation of fans across the globe.

The F1 New Balance Esports Pro Series has brought together the most talented motorsport gamers in the world for the second year in a row. This year, the drivers had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to race with the backing of some of the most prestigious names in motor racing following an intensive selection process.

The Pro Series comprises of three live events held at London’s Gfinity Esports Arena, with drivers competing for the coveted prize fund of $200,000 – allocated to the teams based on their positions in the team standings. The most recent event was the second in the series and is followed by the Grand Final across November 16th and 17th.

The Pro Series is the exciting finale of the award-winning F1 New Balance Esports Series, which saw 66,000 players compete over four online qualifying rounds earlier in the year to secure a coveted place in the inaugural F1 Esports Pro Draft in July. At which they completed 1.1 million laps in F1 2017, the official game of the FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™ on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X and PC. The Pro Series is the first time that the competing drivers have raced on F1 2018, which was released on 24th August 2018.

Julian Tan, Head of Growth & F1 Esports at Formula 1 said:

“The second Pro Series event has delivered another round of dramatic racing – with millions of fans watching around the world. It’s great to see that the F1 Esports Pro Series has captured imaginations and is bringing the excitement and exhilaration of Formula 1 to a new generation of fans across the globe. Like all those watching, we’re excited to see how the season ends at the final in a few weeks, and who will be crowned the driver and constructor champions.”

Paul Jeal, F1 Franchise Director at Codemasters said:

“Once again we have been blown away by the quality of the racing in the F1 Esports Pro Series. The involvement of the Formula 1 teams has helped to lift competition to the next level. It is a fantastic showcase for our F1 2018 game and we cannot wait for the final round in November.”

Mark Brittain, Chief Commercial Officer at Gfinity said:

“We saw the pinnacle of F1 Esports tonight at the Gfinity Arena and the worldwide audience was treated to an incredible masterclass by all the drivers. The action was intense, from lights out to the chequered flag and tonight provided another example of huge opportunities available through the convergence of real and digital sports. We look forward to welcoming back the drivers and to crown the 2018 F1 New Balance Esports Series Champion.”

The F1 New Balance Esports Series is operated in partnership with Codemasters, the developer and publisher of the official Formula 1 video game franchise and Gfinity, one of the world’s leading esports companies. New Balance was recently named the title sponsor of the competition, joining the established sponsors DHL and Fanatec.

To celebrate their title partnership of the F1 Esports New Balance Pro Series, New Balance will be opening up its flagship store on Saturday November 3 and Sunday November 4 to give fans a chance to win tickets to the F1 Esports Grand Final on November 17, plus £500 worth of New Balance product. F1 racing simulators will be set up and open to the public in both New Balance and JD Sports on London’s Oxford Street for the whole weekend, giving everyone the chance to get out on the virtual racetrack and find out more about the competition. For more information please visit https://www.newbalance.co.uk/f1esports

For more information on the F1 New Balance Esports Series visit www.f1esports.com or follow all the action on F1’s official Facebook page.

Race 1 Results

Race 2 Results

Race Results 3

Driver’s and Team’s Championships Standings

Norman Howell, Director of Communications, Formula 1 E: nhowell@f1.com M: +44 (0)7920 181 929

Formula 1 Press Office E: f1media@f1.com T: @f1media

Edelman Press Office E: Formula1@edelman.com

About Formula 1® Formula 1® racing began in 1950 and is the world’s most prestigious motor racing competition, as well as the world’s most popular annual sporting series. The 2018 FIA Formula One World Championship™ runs from March to November and spans 21 races in 21 countries across five continents. Formula One World Championship Limited is part of Formula 1 and holds the exclusive commercial rights to the FIA Formula One World Championship™.

Formula 1 is a subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation (NASDAQ: LSXMA, LSXMB, LSXMK, BATRA, BATRK, FWONA, FWONK) attributed to the Formula One Group tracking stock.

The F1 FORMULA 1 logo, FORMULA 1, F1, FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, GRAND PRIX and related marks are trademarks of Formula One Licensing BV, a Formula 1 company. All rights reserved.

About Codemasters Codemasters (AIM:CDM) is an award winning British video game developer and publisher with over 30 years of heritage. The company specialises in high quality racing games including DiRT, GRID, ONRUSH and the BAFTA award-winning official F1® series of videogames.

For more information on Codemasters’ product portfolio, please visit www.codemasters.com. Join in the conversation with @codemasters on Twitter or Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/codemasters.

About Gfinity Founded in 2012, Gfinity has established itself as one of the world’s leading esports companies. The London-based business enjoys strong relationships with game publishers, players and the wider esports community and has built a solid reputation for delivering high quality competitions, both on-line at www.gfinityesports.com and off-line, in addition to producing industry leading esports broadcasts. The Gfinity Esports Arena at Fulham Broadway, London is the home of UK esports showcasing regular tournaments across the full range of competitive games. Beyond its own tournaments Gfinity provides a
full turnkey solution for brands wanting to create their own esports tournaments and has staged premium esports events around the globe for leading publishers and brands including Formula 1, Microsoft, Activision, EA, Xbox, Gillette and HP.

About esports Esports (electronic sports) is watching or playing competitive video gaming. Leading titles include League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Defence of the Ancients 2 (DotA 2), Call of Duty and Rocket League. The industry is growing rapidly, with new communities developing around more and more titles. The global esports market generated US$493 million of revenue in 2016 and is expected to make $1.5 billion by 2020. The global esports audience in 2017 was 191 million people, 80% under the age of 35 and 70% male (source: Newzoo). Online streaming channels Twitch and YouTube command the biggest audiences, although esports events are also now being broadcast on conventional TV. The 2015 League of Legends Championships finals in Berlin were watched by 36 million people, with a peak concurrent viewership of 14 million viewers, while at DotA 2’s flagship annual championship ‘The International 2016’ competitors from around the world competed for a prize pot of over $20 million.

F1® Mobile Racing Out Now On iPhone And iPad

October 18th, 2018 by Isher Dhillon

Develop And Upgrade Your Own F1® Car To Take On The Best Drivers In The World

Codemasters® has today announced that players around the world can now experience the thrill of driving a 2018 F1® car on their iPhone and iPad with the launch of F1® Mobile Racing. The official mobile game of the 2018 FIA Formula One World Championship™, F1® Mobile Racing features the official teams, drivers and circuits from the current season, and for the first time players can now develop their own F1® car to race against the greatest drivers on the planet.

Free to download and play now, F1® Mobile Racing gives you the control to create your own F1® car complete with colour scheme, livery and performance upgrades or use the official cars of the 2018 FIA Formula One World Championship™. You can then race your car against official F1® teams and other racers, in real time, around the official circuits. You can also take on other players online in one-on-one races to move your way up the global Leagues, complete countless Challenges, and create single-player scenarios to race in.

Vincent Meulle, Executive Producer, Codemasters commented: “Formula 1® has a truly global fan-base and bringing the game to mobile allows us to reach a greater number of these fans in addition to the players we already have on PS4, Xbox and PC. F1® Mobile Racing offers console quality visuals and caters for different play styles for gaming on the go, in both single and multiplayer. ”

F1® Mobile Racing is a live, evolving title with new content being added regularly post-launch. This will include the addition of 2019 FIA Formula One World Championship™ content next year.

F1® Mobile Racing is available now on iPhone and iPad from the App Store and will be released on Android in the coming weeks.

Follow Codemasters F1® games blog and social channels on Twitter and Facebook for future updates.

Mercedes Leads F1 New Balance Esports Pro Series

October 12th, 2018 by Isher Dhillon

Mercedes-AMG Petronas Esports driver Brendon Leigh tops the leader board, winning two out of three races at the first event of the F1 New Balance Esports Pro Series, Toro Rosso Esports Team’s Frederik Rasmussen is in second place, but with Leigh’s team-mate Daniel Bereznay in third place, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Esports sits firmly at the top of the constructor standings.

This first Pro Series live event was held at London’s Gfinity Esports Arena and streamed live via Facebook. Across social media the event has reached 2 million people and generated 1.2 million views to date. It was also broadcast globally on selected TV networks – bringing the excitement and exhilaration of Formula 1 to a new generation of fans across the globe

Dominating in both the real-world and virtual world of Formula 1®, Mercedes and its drivers have had a strong start to the Series. Mirroring the drama of the 2018 Formula One World Championship, in which Lewis Hamilton is approaching his fifth championship, reigning F1 Esports champion Leigh is now targeting a second title in the Pro Series.

The first race of the Pro Series saw the drivers take on the Australian Grand Prix Circuit in Melbourne. In full control from beginning to end, Leigh started from pole position to take his first win. Then came Tino Naukkarinen of Williams Esports, followed by Red Bull Racing Esports Team’s Joni Tormala in third.

The second Grand Prix was at the Shanghai International Circuit in China. A dramatic race unfolded that saw Leigh work his way up the field from fifth, to secure his second win. Second place went to Toro Rosso Esports Team’s Frederik Rasmussen, with Daniel Bereznay of Mercedes in third.

The infamous street circuit of Baku was the stage for the final race, and it turned out to be a tense battle. Bereznay led for much of the race, only to be overtaken in a nerve-wracking few corners by both Rasmussen and teammate Leigh. The race reached a dramatic end on the final lap with Leigh overtaking Rasmussen, only for the Danish driver to steal the win from Leigh on the finish line. Bereznay crossed the line in third.

The overall standings so far are:

The F1 New Balance Esports Pro Series has brought together the most talented motorsport gamers in the world for the second year in a row. This year, the drivers had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to race with the backing of some of the most prestigious names in motor racing following an intensive selection process.

The Pro Series comprises of three live events held at London’s Gfinity Esports Arena, with drivers competing for the coveted prize fund of $200,000 – allocated to the teams based on their positions in the team standings. The second event will take place on October 31st followed by the Grand Final across November 16th and 17th.

The Pro Series is the exciting finale of the award-winning F1 New Balance Esports Series, which saw 66,000 players compete over four online qualifying rounds earlier in the year to secure a coveted place in the inaugural F1 Esports Pro Draft in July. Completing 1.1 million laps in F1 2017, the official game of the FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™ on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X and PC. The Pro Series was the first time that the competing drivers raced on F1 2018, which was released on 24th August 2018.

Julian Tan, Head of Growth & F1 Esports at Formula 1 said:
“The Pro Series is the opportunity for our seriously skilled drivers to show just how capable they are, and the performances we saw at the first live event did not disappoint. With months of hard work under their belts in the lead-up to the competition, there is everything to play for. With fans watching across the world, the Pro Series is sure to keep audiences at the edge of their seat as we look forward to the next live event at the end of the month and of course the Grand Final in November.”

Paul Jeal, F1 Franchise Director at Codemasters said:
“As we’ve seen consistently with our drivers, the standard of racing was nothing short of breath-taking. The
new manually operated ERS in F1 2018 perfectly added drama and excitement to the wheel to wheel racing, and it was great to see our drivers working as hard on their wheels as their real life counterparts. The sense of competition and camaraderie between all the drivers is now at an all-time high, and their performances have gone up another level since the official F1 Teams joined the Series, with many of the drivers having physically transformed themselves. Now the first results are in, the next couple of weeks will be crucial to get as much practice in as possible ahead of the second event on October 31st. It’s a 10 race championship with a double point’s final, so there is still plenty to play for.”

Mark Brittain, Chief Commercial Officer at Gfinity said:
“A worldwide audience tuned into the F1 New Balance Esports Pro Series and witnessed an amazing race. The skills of the F1 Esports teams generated an electric atmosphere in the Gfinity Arena that was felt across the globe. The bar has been raised for the next live event and the final. We are witnessing the convergence of the real and digital worlds. And racing fans are loving it.”

The global Esports phenomenon continues to go from strength to strength with backing from some of the most exciting brands on the planet. The lifestyle brand New Balance was recently named the title sponsor of the F1 New Balance Esports Series and kitted the drivers out with the latest footwear for the Pro Series, while DHL and Fanatec also continue to sponsor the competition.

The F1 New Balance Esports Series is operated in partnership with Codemasters, the developer and publisher of the official Formula 1 video game franchise and Gfinity, one of the world’s leading esports companies.

For more information on the F1 New Balance Esports Series visit www.f1esports.com or follow all the action on F1’s official Facebook page.

Event 1 Race Results

About Formula 1®
Formula 1® racing began in 1950 and is the world’s most prestigious motor racing competition, as well as the world’s most popular annual sporting series. The 2018 FIA Formula One World Championship™ runs from March to November and spans 21 races in 21 countries across five continents. Formula One World Championship Limited is part of Formula 1 and holds the exclusive commercial rights to the FIA Formula One World Championship™.

Formula 1 is a subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation (NASDAQ: LSXMA, LSXMB, LSXMK, BATRA, BATRK, FWONA, FWONK) attributed to the Formula One Group tracking stock.

The F1 FORMULA 1 logo, FORMULA 1, F1, FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, GRAND PRIX and related marks are trademarks of Formula One Licensing BV, a Formula 1 company. All rights reserved.

About Codemasters
Codemasters (AIM:CDM) is an award winning British video game developer and publisher with over 30 years of heritage. The company specialises in high quality racing games including DiRT, GRID, ONRUSH and the BAFTA award-winning official F1® series of videogames.

For more information on Codemasters’ product portfolio, please visit www.codemasters.com. Join in the conversation with @codemasters on Twitter or Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/codemasters.

About Gfinity
Founded in 2012, Gfinity has established itself as one of the world’s leading esports companies. The London-based business enjoys strong relationships with game publishers, players and the wider esports community and has built a solid reputation for delivering high quality competitions, both on-line at www.gfinityesports.com and off-line, in addition to producing industry leading esports broadcasts. The Gfinity Esports Arena at Fulham Broadway, London is the home of UK esports showcasing regular tournaments across the full range of competitive games. Beyond its own tournaments Gfinity provides a full turnkey solution for brands wanting to create their own esports tournaments and has staged premium esports events around the globe for leading publishers and brands including Formula 1, Microsoft, Activision, EA, Xbox, Gillette and HP.

About esports
Esports (electronic sports) is watching or playing competitive video gaming. Leading titles include League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Defence of the Ancients 2 (DotA 2), Call of Duty and Rocket League. The industry is growing rapidly, with new communities developing around more and more titles.

The global esports market generated US$493 million of revenue in 2016 and is expected to make $1.5 billion by 2020. The global esports audience in 2017 was 191 million people, 80% under the age of 35 and 70% male (source: Newzoo). Online streaming channels Twitch and YouTube command the biggest audiences, although esports events are also now being broadcast on conventional TV. The 2015 League of Legends Championships finals in Berlin were watched by 36 million people, with a peak concurrent viewership of 14 million viewers, while at DotA 2’s flagship annual championship ‘The International 2016’ competitors from around the world competed for a prize pot of over $20 million.

Codemasters Announces DiRT Rally 2.0™

September 26th, 2018 by Isher Dhillon

Long awaited sequel to DiRT Rally® releases on PS4, Xbox One & PC in February 2019

Codemasters has today announced DiRT Rally 2.0™, the follow up to the incredible fan favourite that puts players in control of a collection of the most iconic rally cars against the most challenging stages around the world. Marking a return to the simulation style off road racing that made the original such a hit with gamers, DiRT Rally 2.0 will launch on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X and Windows PC (DVD and via Steam) on Tuesday 26th February 2019.

To celebrate the announcement of DiRT Rally 2.0 Codemasters has released a trailer for the game which can be viewed now here: www.youtube.com/DiRTgame.

DiRT Rally 2.0 will take you to six rally locations around the world where you can take on incredible hand crafted stages in a wide variety of cars from the history of the sport and modern day. The official game of the FIA World Rallycross Championship presented by Monster Energy, DiRT Rally 2.0 will also feature cars from the 2018 season as well as eight of the official WorldRX circuits at launch.

All pre-orders editions of DiRT Rally 2.0 will include access to the amazing Porsche 911 RGT Rally Spec as a bonus vehicle to use on the stages. In addition there will also be a DiRT Rally 2.0 Deluxe Edition which also includes the first two seasons of post-launch additional content, each with three locations (split between rally and rallycross) and five early vehicles unlocks (Ford Escort MkII, Lancia Stratos, Subaru Impreza 1995, AUDI Sport quattro S1 E2 and Ford Fiesta OMSE SuperCar Lite). The Deluxe Edition will also allow players to get their hands on the game four days early, launching on 22nd February 2019 and also includes upgraded starter cars for My Team, in-game bonuses and high reward events. More details about the seasons will be revealed soon.

“We are thrilled to finally be able to talk about DiRT Rally 2.0,” commented Ross Gowing, Chief Games Designer, Codemasters. “Rally is incredibly important to Codemasters and the entire team is absolutely dedicated to creating the most authentic experience possible in a game.

“Our passionate, knowledgeable community helped to make DiRT Rally a special title. We have been working with a selection of that community alongside a roster of real world rally drivers to ensure that we meet their high standards,” continued Ross. “We are not afraid to make a challenging game. Driving a rally car down a stage is not easy and we want players to experience that same adrenaline rush from driving on the edge.”

DiRT Rally 2.0 will release worldwide on PS4, Xbox One and PC on Tuesday 26th February offering gamers the most authentic rally and rallycross experience available in gaming. With more news to come on the forthcoming release of DiRT Rally 2.0 you can keep up with all the news and follow updates from the studio on Facebook and Twitter.

Full Throttle For The Start Of The F1 Esports Pro Series 2018

September 20th, 2018 by Isher Dhillon

Formula 1®, the pinnacle of motorsport, is revving up for the launch of the F1 Esports Pro Series 2018, where the official F1 Esports teams will battle it out to be named this year’s F1 Esports Series Teams’ and Drivers’ World Champions on Codemasters’ F1 2018 videogame.

The Pro Series will be held as a series of three live events at London’s Gfinity Esports Arena on October 10th, October 31st and the Grand Finale across November 16th and 17th. The events will be streamed live on Facebook and broadcast globally on selected TV networks, bringing the excitement and exhilaration of Formula 1 to a new generation of fans across the globe.

Having undergone an intensive selection process, the drivers will race for nine of the teams competing in the 2018 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™: Mercedes-AMG Petronas Esports, Red Bull Racing Esports Team, Hype Energy eForce India F1 Esports Team, Williams Esports, Renault Sport Team Vitality, Haas F1 Esports Team, McLaren Shadow, Toro Rosso Esports Team and Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 eSports Team.

The Pro Series is the exciting climax of the award-winning F1 Esports Series, which has seen 66,000 players compete over four online qualifying rounds earlier in the year to secure a coveted place in the inaugural F1 Esports Pro Draft in July. Completing 1.1 million laps in F1 2017, the official game of the FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™ on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X and PC.

Just 16 of the most talented gamers from nine countries secured places on the official F1 teams at the Pro Draft in July, which reached over 1 million people around the world. They will now race alongside established racers for a coveted prize fund of $200,000, allocated to the teams based on their positions in the team standings. You can catch up on all the action behind the inaugural Pro Draft on YouTube.

The teams and drivers, confirmed so far, that will go head to head and compete in this year’s Pro Series are:

Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 eSports Team
Allert van der Wal (Netherlands), Sonuc Saltunc (Great Britain), Salih Saltunc (Great Britain)

Haas F1 Esports Team
Martin Stefanko (Czech Republic), Michal Smidl (Czech Republic)

Williams Esports
Tino Naukkarinen (Finland), Alvaro Carreton (Spain), Alex Hanses (Germany)

As global momentum builds behind Esports, F1 also welcomed footwear and lifestyle brand New Balance as the Title Sponsor of this year’s F1 Esports Series. New Balance will provide footwear for the drivers, while F1 also retains its existing sponsors DHL and Fanatec.The F1 Esports Series is operated in partnership with Codemasters, the developer and publisher of the official Formula 1 video game franchise and Gfinity, one of the world’s leading esports companies.

Julian Tan, Head of Digital Growth & F1 Esports at Formula 1 said:
“The launch of the Pro Series is a pivotal moment for the F1 Esports Series. In a short space of time the drivers have come together from all around the world to join their official F1 teams; and will now take their passion for motorsport and gaming from home all the way to the podium. With the F1 teams involved we have been able to combine the power of Esports with the magic of Formula 1, establishing an adrenaline fuelled series that has been streamed across the globe. Now it’s time for the teams to deliver their best performances, and we can’t wait to crown this year’s Teams’ and Drivers’ Champions.”

Jonathan Bunney, VP Publishing at Codemasters said:
“We’ve been impressed with the skill and dedication shown by our player community with F1 2018 across PlayStation®4, Xbox One and PC. The Pro Series takes gaming talent to a new benchmark and is set to make history for F1 and gaming fans alike.”

Mark Brittain, Chief Commercial Officer at Gfinity said:
“It is a privilege to welcome some of the very best gamers in the world to the Gfinity Esports Arena for the F1 Esports Pro Series. We’re braced to see a competition quite unlike any other as our hugely talented drivers battle it out head-to-head to be named this year’s F1 Esports champion. For aspiring gamers watching around the world, the event is sure to be nothing short of exciting.”

For more information on the F1 Esports Series visit www.f1esports.com.

F1® 2018 Takes Top Step On The Podium

September 6th, 2018 by Isher Dhillon

Official F1® Game Charts At Number One In UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Nordics, Benelux, Australia & New Zealand

Codemasters has today announced that F1® 2018, the official videogame of the 2018 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™, has topped sales charts around the world. The new game, released on PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X and Windows PC (DVD and via Steam) on 24th August, has been number one in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Holland, Denmark and Finland!

F1® 2018 was released to great critical acclaim as the game continues to get closer than ever to the real world sport. Players now face pressurised press interviews as part of their Career and each team has its own unique research and development options with inherent strengths and weaknesses. There are also more classic cars than ever before, including the iconic Brawn BGP-001 from 2009.

Jonathan Bunney, VP Publishing for Codemasters said: “We are delighted with the success of F1® 2018. It reflects the hard work and dedication of everyone at Codemasters, and growing interest in the world’s most popular motorsport. The first week chart positions were strong and the latest data available shows that we have held the number one position in at least two of our biggest territories, UK and Germany. We look forward to hearing the news from all the others. The F1® Esports Pro Series, which includes the real world F1® teams for the first time, will be played on F1® 2018 and this will be an incredible showcase for the game.”

Featuring all of the official teams, cars, the drivers and circuits from the thrilling 2018 season, F1® 2018 also includes 20 iconic, classic cars from the history of the sport for players to try to master. Circuit Paul Ricard is included in the game for the first time, while the Hockenheimring also returns. F1® 2018 is available now worldwide on PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X and Windows PC (DVD and via Steam).

Follow Codemasters F1® games blog and social channels on Twitter and Facebook for future updates.

Make Headlines In F1® 2018 – Out Now

August 24th, 2018 by Isher Dhillon

Deeper Career Mode, 20 Classic Cars, Enhanced Simulation And Improved Visuals Make F1® 2018 A Must Buy For F1® Fans.

Players around the world can now ‘Make Headlines’ in the world’s most prestigious motorsport as F1® 2018, the official videogame of the 2018 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™, launches onto the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X and Windows PC (DVD and via Steam) today. To celebrate the launch, Codemasters has also released the F1® 2018 TV advert, which is available to view now at www.youtube.com/formula1game.

Launched to critical acclaim, F1® 2018 is the most complete F1® experience ever seen in gaming. Featuring all of the official teams, cars, the drivers and circuits from the thrilling 2018 season, F1® 2018 also includes 20 iconic, classic cars from the history of the sport for players to try to master. Circuit Paul Ricard is included in the game for the first time, while the Hockenheimring, the historic home of the FORMULA 1 EMIRATES GROSSER PREIS VON DEUTSCHLAND 2018, also returns.

“Our main aim with F1® 2018 was to get even closer to replicating the real world sport and we believe that we have made significant improvements both on and off the track,” said Lee Mather, Game Director, F1® 2018. “The in-game suspension and chassis now refresh at 1000htz meaning that the simulation is far more authentic. For example, you can really feel the difference between the modern day cars, with their advanced aerodynamics and downforce, when compared to the classics which rely more so on pure tyre grip, making them an incredibly involving drive.”

Lee continued: “The visual recreation of the sport, including the iconic heat haze, atmospherics and new lighting system, is closer than ever and we have added even more depth to the Career by reworking the Research & Development system for each of the teams as well as introducing the press interviews which will play a key role in how you are seen within the world of F1®. Certain teams look for different characteristics in a driver and it is up to you whether you choose to exhibit sportsmanship or showmanship when put under pressure. We cannot wait for players to get their hands on the game.”

The much heralded Career mode is bigger and better than ever with the inclusion of pressurised press interviews which will directly affect your standing and future within your own team and the wider sport. While in research and development, each of the teams now has its own unique tech tree with inherent strengths and weaknesses as you are looking to improve your car. These improvements can then be threatened by end of season regulation changes, another first for the franchise.

F1® 2018 is available now worldwide on PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X and Windows PC (DVD and via Steam).

Follow Codemasters F1® games blog and social channels on Twitter and Facebook for future updates.

Excitement Builds For F1® 2018

August 16th, 2018 by Isher Dhillon

See F1® 2018 In Action In New Gameplay Trailer

As the excitement builds towards the launch of F1® 2018, the official videogame of the 2018 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™, Codemasters has today released the latest trailer for the game featuring amazing gameplay and cinematics.

Available to watch now below or at www.youtube.com/formula1game, the new trailer showcases the lifelike recreation of the real world sport that you will be able to enjoy on the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X and Windows PC (DVD and via Steam) worldwide from Friday 24th August 2018, the weekend of the season starting back up again with the iconic FORMULA 1 2018 BELGIAN GRAND PRIX™.

“We are trying to get as close to the real world sport as possible in terms of visuals, simulation and the surroundings which make F1® such an incredible spectacle,” commented F1® 2018 Game Director, Lee Mather. “We have an excellent relationship with F1® and the teams which is really bearing fruit and helping to improve the game in all areas.”

F1® 2018 features all the official teams, the drivers and all 21 circuits of the thrilling 2018 season, including the introduction of Circuit Paul Ricard and the return of the Hockenheimring. The game challenges you to Make Headlines in the most complete Career Mode ever seen in the franchise including press interviews, extensive research and development options and significant end of season rule changes. F1® 2018 also features 20 classic F1® cars, the most in the franchise’s history.

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Get Closer To The Real World Sport With F1® 2018 Trailer

August 13th, 2018 by Isher Dhillon

New Trailer Set To Official F1® Theme Music Showcases Stunning Visuals

Codemasters® has today released the second official gameplay trailer for F1® 2018, the official videogame of the 2018 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™. Featuring stunning in-game footage and the new official F1® theme music, written by composer Brian Tyler, the latest trailer is available to watch now below or at www.youtube.com/formula1game.

Commenting on the game’s recreation of the real world sport, F1® 2018’s Art Director, Stu Campbell said: “F1® has undergone a huge visual rebrand this year. It has an exciting, fresh new look and we are looking to bring that into the game as much as we can. Our aim this year was to create as big a visual improvement as we possibly could to give a more authentic and realistic experience. When you see it side by side with the 2017 game I think you will see a huge leap forward.”

F1® 2018 features all the official teams, the drivers and all 21 circuits of the thrilling 2018 season, including Circuit Paul Ricard and the Hockenheimring. As well as the current season’s offerings the game includes 20 iconic cars from the history of the sport. F1® 2018 will release onto PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X and Windows PC (DVD and via Steam) worldwide on Friday 24th August 2018.

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F1® 2018 – More Than Just A Game

August 9th, 2018 by Isher Dhillon

Latest Developer Diary Focuses On The Most Authentic F1 Car Simulation yet

Codemasters® has today released the third part in a series of developer diaries for F1® 2018, the official videogame of the 2018 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™, detailing how the new game boasts the most authentic F1® car handling simulation ever seen in the franchise.

The third of the four part series, which is available to watch now below or at www.youtube.com/formula1game, reveals that F1® 2018’s car simulation and handling has significantly advanced this year, with revamped suspension and chassis physics, the addition of real world F1® data for unprecedented accuracy, new “tyre carcass” temperature for the first time, as well as manual deployment of the ERS system. The ultimate result of these enhancements is that the gamer can experience the pure sensation of the tyres tearing into the track surface, and therefore giving a realistic and relatable feeling of grip, under all wear, compounds and weather conditions.

“I believe F1® 2018 is a massive step up, because we’ve introduced so many more simulation aspects that I believe will be very well received by all the players,” commented David Greco, Senior Car Handling Designer on F1® 2018. “To choose which one is the most important and advanced is quite hard, but I would probably say it is the expanded system which enables us to simulate the tyre temperature more realistically than we have ever done before.”

He continued: “This year, the way the car feels, with the ‘Force Feedback’, and how it all works together, we are very close to what I want from a simulator. In over 20 years of my career between sim racing and real motorsport, I have always come across questions like: ‘one title is more simulator than another title, because it’s very difficult to drive?’ With my real motorsport experience, I can say that real racing cars are made to have a lot of grip. To me, a simulator is not how easy it is to drive or how easy to make it spin. To me, a simulation is how many real-life, physical components we simulate, and especially this year, there are not many features that I can think of that we don’t simulate. To just call it a game to me is not enough anymore.”

F1® 2018 features all the official teams, the drivers and all 21 circuits of the thrilling 2018 season, including Circuit Paul Ricard and the Hockenheimring. As well as the current season’s offerings the game includes 20 iconic cars from the history of the sport. F1® 2018 will release onto PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices including the Xbox One X and Windows PC (DVD and via Steam) worldwide on Friday 24th August 2018.

Follow Codemasters F1® games blog and social channels on Twitter and Facebook for future updates.