It’s been a while since we’ve learned that Frontier Developments, the makers of spaceship sim Elite Dangerous and park builder/management sims Planet Coaster and Planet Zoo, are working on a licensed F1 management game.
And now it’s properly announced, albeit with a teaser. But at least we got the game’s official title now.
F1 Manager 2022 will see you stepping into the shoes of a team principal of a Formula 1 team ask you to lead your two drivers, engineers and a whole team to compete in the 2022 Formula 1 Drivers’ World Championship and 2022 Formula 1 Constructors’ World Championship.
You will get to make the call on upgrading cars and race facilities, hiring drivers and engineers and balancing the budget sheets as well as demands from drivers. But it’s not just off-track action, you get to call the shots come Sunday during the race as well.
If you think you can do a better job than the likes of Christian Horner or Toto Wolff, this is the game for you.
“There’s never been a better time to be a Formula 1 fan, and we’re excited to deliver a new way for F1 fans to immerse themselves in the biggest racing spectacle in the world,” said Game Director Andy Fletcher. “F1 Manager 2022 will deliver an experience for both new and long-term fans that is as authentic as it is exciting. Our commitment to the ever-changing world of Formula 1 will build a strong foundation for a long and special series that will evolve over time.”
“It’s great to see F1 Manager 2022 take shape and for people to see this exciting title come to life,” said Ross Brawn, Managing Director – Motorsports, Formula 1. “I know from personal experience that leading a team can be challenging, but it’s certainly rewarding. The F1 Manager franchise is a great opportunity for fans to put themselves in the shoes of a team principal and experience some of that for themselves.”
F1 Manager 2022 is the first sports licensed game by Frontier, as part of a “long term, multi-title agreement” with F1.
Coincidentally, 2022 marks the start of a new era for the international single-seater racing series, often dubbed “the pinnacle of motorsport”. A new set of regulation changes are made starting this season to make the cars race better. The one in the trailer is the show car produced by Formula 1, though the ten teams on the grid have produced fascinatingly different cars, as seen during this pre-season period.
Interestingly, F1 Manager 2022 will also be coming to consoles, on PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. Frontier has released Planet Coaster and Jurassic World Evolution 2 on consoles before, but still a nice surprise to see a management game playable with a controller.
F1 Manager 2022 is coming later this summer (Q3) for the PS4, PS5, PC (Steam, Epic Games Store), Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.