F1 2021 is here! We're loving the latest official Formula 1 game and you can read exactly why in our full review.
One of F1 2021's best new features is its single-player story mode Braking Point. Braking Point is the first time that we've had a full story mode within in the official Formula 1 game and it's brilliant. Braking Point can be a real challenge though, so we're here to help with our full walkthrough of the new game mode.
Beware that this is your official spoiler warning too, as we will be getting into some plot details during this walkthrough.
Prologue - 2019 Formula 2 finale
Difficulty: Hard
Formula 2 is the direct feeder series for Formula 1 and you begin your Braking Point story here. During the final round of the 2019 season at Yas Marina, Aiden Jackson needs to win the race to win the title. You join the race with three laps remaining and need to overtake three drivers to win the race and the F2 title.
With such little time to get to the front, this is one of the harder chapters in braking point. You'll have to go full send mode if you're to pass Sergio Sette-Camara, Nicholas Latifi and Luca Ghiotto before the chequered flag.
Chapter 1 - 2020 Australian GP
Difficulty: Medium
Depending on which team you chose at the start of Braking Point, you'll be making your debut for either Williams, Haas, Racing Point, AlphaTauri or Alfa Romeo in Melbourne. In the build-up, the media compares Jackson to Devon Butler, your rival who drives for one of the five teams mentioned before that you didn't pick.
We join Jackson on Lap 6 and we need to catch our teammate, Casper Akkerman within five laps. You'll need to go from 14th to 10th, but fresh rubber means you're rapid compared to the cars around you.
When you get close to Akkerman, a cinematic plays where Jackson attempts to overtake, despite team orders. Butler catches up and slides down the inside to make it three-wide going into Turn 11. Akkerman and Jackson make contact, with Akkerman losing his front wing. Jackson, despite sustaining damage, stays out and finishes the race.
After the race, Akkerman is furious, and labels Jackson an "idiot". Jackson blames Butler, but Butler isn't having any of it.
Chapter 2 - 2020 Chinese GP
Difficulty: Easy
A few races later, in China, Akkerman and Jackson collide again. Akkerman dives down the inside into Turn 6 and bumps Jackson off the circuit. Within seven laps, Jackson needs to finish in the top ten from 14th by passing Akkerman. After the race, Jackson was furious, but Akkerman avoids the confrontation.
Chapter 3 - 2020 French GP
Difficulty: Hard
Two months later, Jackson has a poor qualifying and lines up in P18 on the grid at Paul Ricard. You have to do the entire 13-lap race and finish ahead of both the Renault and McLaren drivers. This is a difficult challenge, as you may need to finish as high as P4 to beat the papaya and yellow cars.
Chapter 4 - 2020 British GP
Difficulty: Medium
Jackson's home race isn't going to plan, as he has a puncture late in the British Grand Prix. He'll drop from P7 to around 16th with seven laps left. Your goal is to finish in the top ten once again. On fresh rubber, this isn't as big of a challenge as you may think it to be.
Chapter 5 - 2020 Italian GP
Difficulty: Medium
Before the race, Jackson is complaining about a lack of top-end speed in his car. The team principal's liaison, Brian Doyle, suggests putting the new-spec engine into Jackson's car. Doyle also says that Jackson is the team's "star driver" something that enrages Akkerman, who overhears the conversation.
Akkerman produced an incredible qualifying to line-up P4 on the grid, while you're languishing down in P18 again. You need to beat Akkerman, but you've got a full 25% distance race to do it and a faster engine in the back of your car. Attempt the undercut to get clear air and clear a few cars in the middle of the race and you should be fine here.
Chapter 6 - 2020 Mexican GP
Difficulty: Easy
In Mexico, Jackson is in P13 with eight laps remaining in the race. His goal is to catch up to Akkerman, who's in P8. With passing not difficult in Mexico and plenty of laps to overtake, this isn't one of the harder objectives.
Despite team orders, Jackson attempts to overtake Akkerman. The Dutchman blocks Jackson though, causing a collision and taking them both out. After the race, Doyle lays into the pair of them, saying both should be sacked for their misconduct.
Chapter 7 - 2021 Australian GP
Difficulty: Easy
This is when your team will change to Aston Martin if you started with Racing Point and also where you begin to play as Akkerman, not Jackson. In Q2, Akkerman is eliminated while Jackson progresses to the top ten shootout. Akkerman is frustrated at this, as he perceived his running order to be the worse one.
Akkerman's luck doesn't improve in the race, as with six laps remaining, he loses seventh gear. This causes his car to suffer, but it is possible to finish in the points despite the fault. There's no expectation for where to finish though, so just go as fast as you can.
Chapter 8 - 2021 Bahrain GP
Difficulty: Easy
Akkerman is in the points, but his tyres are shot. He wants to pit, but Jackson, is allowed to pit in front of him, despite Jackson being a lap down. The double-stack costs Akkerman time, but he's only in P11 and on fresh tyres. You've got six laps to overtake three drivers and make it back to P8.
After the race, Akkerman is downtrodden despite the good result. This is where we learn that Akkerman is retiring after this season.
Chapter 9 - 2021 Dutch GP
Difficulty: Medium
Akkerman is going to retire, but he puts on an amazing show in front of his home crowd. At Zandvoort, you need to finish on the podium from a P8 starting position. Despite it being hard to pass in the Netherlands, this isn't a very difficult challenge as you've got the whole 25% race to do it.
Again, like Monza in chapter five, the undercut is very powerful here, so pit early to get clear air and power through to the podium.
Chapter 10 - 2021 Canadian GP
Difficulty: Hard
In Montreal, Jackson is right on the tail of Akkerman and the team orders Casper to let Aiden through. Akkerman refuses and your goal is to keep Jackson behind at all costs. There are five laps remaining and Jackson will be on your back throughout.
After the race, Jackson is furious and attacks Akkerman in the paddock. The pair physically fight each other, and it takes a mechanic and Esteban Ocon to break it up. Someone (presumably Butler) is filming the incident on their phone and the video goes viral online. This is also how Akkerman's retirement gets leaked to the public.
Chapter 11 - 2021 Austrian GP
Difficulty: Hard
Jackson's retirement from the race produces a Safety Car and Akkerman has a chance to salvage points. He pits for new tyres but re-joins the pack in P19. Your job is to get to tenth or higher within the ten laps left at the Red Bull Ring.
After the race, Jackson is depressed, and Doyle asks Akkerman to help. Casper tells Aiden that he's not retiring because of Jackson and to not listen to the public and just focus on the job that he's fortunate to have.
Chapter 12 - 2021 Belgian GP
Difficulty: Medium
At Spa, Akkerman is starting P11 and needs to get into the top five by the finish. Wet weather mid-race will hand the Dutchman a chance to finish with great points. The best thing to do is to stay out on interest when the rain sets in and don't change to full wets, despite what your engineer says.
The AI will change to full wets and be faster, but not stopping will gain you time and you'll be faster in the closing laps. After the race, Akkerman says that he should help Jackson get the call-up to one of the top teams for next year.
Chapter 13 - 2021 Russian GP
Difficulty: Medium
In Russia, Akkerman is on fresh tyres and needs to set the fastest lap of the race. The Dutchman also has to finish in the top ten to make that bonus point count. We take control with five laps remaining and Casper in P13.
At the team's dinner after the race, it's revealed that Akkerman and Jackson's feud over salary should've never been an issue. The pair decide to work together from now on to get your team fourth place in the constructor's championship.
Chapter 14 - 2021 Japanese GP
Difficulty: Hard
With eight laps to go in the Japanese Grand Prix, Akkerman has to catch Butler. The Dutchman is in P12 while Butler is in eighth. On new tyres, you'll be quick, but passing at Suzuka is very difficult.
Chapter 15 - 2021 United States GP
Difficulty: Medium
Before the race, Akkerman and Jackson tell Butler that he's the one that's been causing the rift between them. Butler doesn't accept it, trying his usual tricks again, but it doesn't work.
In the race, your objective is to beat Butler once again. You're in P12 and there are eight laps remaining for you to catch Devon, who's in P9.
Chapter 16 - 2021 Abu Dhabi GP
Difficulty: Hard
The final race of the season sees your team in with a shot of P4 in the constructor's, but you'll have to outscore Butler's team. Akkerman has six laps to catch Butler, who's five places ahead in P6. After the Dutchman passes Butler, the Brit attempts to take Akkerman out into the chicane.
The move goes badly wrong for Butler though, as he retires and Akkerman continues, albeit with damage. You then change to the perspective of Jackson, who has five laps to overtake three cars and get onto the podium. This is the hardest challenge in Braking Point, so you'll have to be inch-perfect to pass it.
The game ends with Jackson and Akkerman celebrating on the podium with one of the top team principals looking up at Jackson, who will presumably sign for them after this game mode concludes.
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