F1 2021 (video game)

F1 2021 is the official video game of the 2021 Formula One and Formula 2 Championships developed by Codemasters and published by EA Sports . It is the fourteenth title in the F1 series by Codemasters and the first in the series published by Electronic Arts under its EA Sports division since F1 Career Challenge in 2003, after Codemasters was acquired by Electronic Arts just a few months before the trailer was released. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ]

The game was released for Microsoft Windows , PlayStation 4 , PlayStation 5 , Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on 16 July 2021. The deluxe edition was launched three days earlier on 13 July. [ 4 ] [ 5 ]

This is also the most recent game in the series to feature a 4 digit year as the series changed to using 2 digits for the next game as a result of EA's purchase of Codemasters.

Development and features

Codemasters revealed F1 2021 in April 2021, featuring a brand new story mode. New circuits Imola , Portimão , and Jeddah were added in as free updates later. [ 6 ] The Marina Bay , Melbourne , Montreal and Suzuka circuits all feature in the game as originally intended, despite the cancellation of these races in real life due to the COVID-19 pandemic . Losail which was officially involved in real life is not involved in the game. Yas Marina still uses its original layout. The Shanghai circuit als...

For the first time in career mode it is now possible for two players to participate in career mode together, either as teammates or rivals. [ 8 ]

Seven Formula One world champions and legends are selectable drivers in My Team: Ayrton Senna , Alain Prost , Michael Schumacher , Nico Rosberg , Jenson Button , David Coulthard and Felipe Massa . [ 9 ]

The visualization offered by the F1 2021 game has increased from the previous year, based on a more accurate sidetrack of the racing arena and the facial expressions of the characters in story mode. Furthermore, the full version of the opening titles for F1 broadcasts have been added after launching the game following the EA Sports and Codemasters logos. PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S , and on PC, ray tracing support, as well as victory radio calls, also make its debut in the F1 game.

Players can also form their own F1 team through the My Team feature within Career Mode. Through this feature, players will deal with the selection of sponsors and suppliers of car engines as well as the process of recruiting teammates. [ 10 ] A new feature to this mode for 2021 was the addition of Department Events, where the player is given a scenario affecting the team and has to pick what, in their opinion, is the best decision.

Plot

After winning the 2019 Formula 2 Championship with Carlin , Aiden Jackson secures a drive with a Formula One team for the 2020 season . However, Jackson has a rocky start to his Formula One career as he makes contact with teammate Casper Akkerman in the season opener in Australia [ b ] . Jackson refuses to admit that the contact was his fault, angering Akkerman. Little did the two know was that rival driver Devon Butler had indirectly caused that incident by making it three-wide in a turn. To ad...

Going into the mid-season, the team finds itself struggling in the Constructors' Championship as Jackson is still unable to get along with Akkerman. Their relationship continues to worsen when Akkerman finds out that Jackson has been given the updated power unit instead of him. The team heads to Mexico [ b ] with the hope of scoring points to secure their place above the rest of the midfield teams, but their hopes are shattered when Jackson and Akkerman, unwilling to give up positions, collide a...

The tensions carry over to the 2021 season . Akkerman is frustrated, feeling that the team seems to have started treating Jackson as the number one driver as he gets priorities on both qualifying and pit strategy. At the Canadian Grand Prix [ d ] , Akkerman refuses to let Jackson pass despite being told to do so. Right after the race, both Jackson and Akkerman have a heated argument in the paddock, during which Akkerman inadvertently declares his retirement to Jackson, although Akkerman later cl...

Akkerman's strong performances keep the team in the fight, but the tensions between him and Jackson still do not show any signs of resolution. At the team dinner, Doyle brings the two together to discuss their problems. They finally find out that their mutual hostility was actually fueled by false rumours and gossip spread by Devon Butler. Akkerman reveals to Jackson that he had blindly believed Butler's lies all along, leading him to throw a fit for his gullibility. With their differences sorte...

At the final race in Abu Dhabi , Butler's teammate retires from the race due to mechanical issues. Taking advantage of this, Akkerman leads Butler into the final part of the race. While attempting an overtake, Butler collides with Akkerman, resulting in both sustaining major damage to their cars. Butler is out of the race, while Akkerman is still able to continue and gives up his position to Jackson, passing on a radio message telling him to finish the race on the podium. Jackson is eventually a...

Reception

F1 2021 received "generally favorable" reviews for PC, PlayStation 4, 5, and Xbox Series X, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic . It was praised for its story mode and new handling. The Braking Point story mode was also well received, with praise going to the CGI graphics, characters, voice performances, and plot.

It was nominated for Best Sports/Racing Game at The Game Awards 2021 , [ 21 ] as well as Racing Game of the Year at the 25th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards . [ 22 ]

Quick Facts

F1 2021 Cover art featuring Red Bull Racing Honda's Max Verstappen, Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team's Lewis Hamilton and Scuderia Ferrari's Charles Leclerc

F1 2021 Developer(s)

F1 2021 Publisher(s)

F1 2021 Composer(s)

F1 2021 Series

F1 2021 Engine

F1 2021 Platform(s)

F1 2021 Release

F1 2021 Genre(s)

F1 2021 Mode(s)

Table 1

Aggregator	Score
Metacritic	PC: 86/100[12] PS4: 83/100[13] PS5: 84/100[14] XSX: 88/100[15]

Table 2

Publication	Score
Eurogamer	Recommended[16]
IGN	8/10[17]
PC Gamer (UK)	91/100[18]
PCGamesN	8/10[19]
Push Square	[20]

Featured Image

infobox image from F1_2021_(video_game)

F1ABY Commentary

“Can you *feel* the tension? The very air crackles with the weight of a championship hanging in the balance, doesn’t it? Hamilton, relentlessly pushing, a predator stalking his prey – Verstappen. This isn’t just a race; it’s a psychological battle waged at 200 miles per hour. The Dutchman’s aggression is breathtaking, a calculated risk that could either elevate him to glory or send him spiraling into defeat. Every corner, every overtake, a desperate gamble. Hold your breath. This is where legends are forged!”.

“The championship hangs by a thread, a razor’s edge of strategy and daring – this isn’t just racing, it’s a war waged in milliseconds!” The tension is palpable, a suffocating blanket of ambition and calculated risk. Verstappen pushes, Leclerc responds, and the world holds its breath, anticipating the next seismic shift.

F1ABY Trivia

**Dramatic F1ABY:** “The Red Bull, a symphony of 1. 6-liter V6 power, absolutely *devouring* the asphalt. Verstappen, a predator sensing weakness—the Mercedes struggling with tire temperature, a critical vulnerability in this brutal heat. This isn’t just speed; it’s calculated aggression, a brutal demonstration of how finely tuned these machines are. Watch closely, folks, because the championship isn’t won on straight lines, it’s earned in the corners!”.

**Dramatic F1ABY:** “The air crackles, doesn’t it? Just *feels* like a championship fight is brewing. Hamilton, that’s a move! A calculated risk, exploiting every millimeter of the track. Seven points separating them – a knife edge, a razor’s edge. Don’t you dare underestimate the psychological warfare unfolding here!” “Look at Verstappen, pushing the limits. The telemetry is screaming – he’s consistently shaving off tenths, fractions, a brutal accumulation of speed. Sixty-two percent of pole sitters this season have been Verstappen. A statistic that’s beginning to feel… ominous. ” “Magnussen! A masterclass in tire management. Thirty-seven percent of races this season have been won by drivers starting outside the top five. He's proving that raw pace isn’t everything; strategy and composure are the true weapons. This is F1, people, not a demolition derby. ” “The data confirms it – a staggering 88% of races this season have seen a podium finish with Red Bull. Verstappen's momentum is rel...

F1ABY Tales

Here we go! Verstappen! He’s wrestled a monumental gap from Leclerc – a full 12 seconds! The Italian’s tires are screaming, a blue halo of blistering rubber against the asphalt. This isn’t just a race; it’s a psychological war waged at 220mph. Leclerc is pushing, desperately, but the Red Bull’s sheer pace is a brutal, unrelenting force. Can he bridge the chasm, or will Verstappen claim a victory forged in pure, unadulterated speed? The tension… it’s absolutely palpable!

The rain…it’s chewing at the asphalt, isn’t it? Verstappen, a predator in these conditions, pushing the Red Bull to its absolute limit. You can *feel* the tension radiating off him – a coiled spring ready to unleash. Look at the data, the cornering speeds are astronomical. This isn’t just about speed, this is about a calculated risk, a gamble against the chaos. Hamilton, ever the strategist, is defending his position, but the DRS zones are proving treacherous. This is the theatre of Formula 1, raw and unforgiving.