It's release week for F1 2021, and those with the Deluxe Edition are already hitting the track and pounding in lap times.
There are plenty of new features in F1 2021, from Braking Point to the new handling model. One thing players are struggling with is how to change fuel mix.
This was a key part of F1 2020, but can you still do it in F1 2021?
F1 2021 fuel mix
Changing fuel mix last year was a simple flick of the MFD to give yourself more power down the straight or to lean the fuel out, save some and give yourself more predictability out of slow corners.
This year it's not so easy. Thanks to the "party mode" ban that came in during last season, in F1 2021 you cannot change your fuel mix.
That's right YOU CANNOT CHANGE FUEL MIX IN F1 2021!
This is a hammer blow for several reasons. Firstly, it made overtaking a bit easier if you could engage rich mix. It was also the best weapon to use in wet conditions when the DRS is disabled. It also means you can't burn off fuel or under-fuel and save now.
Which means setting your fuel level for sessions is the most important thing you can do before you leave the garage!
How to set your fuel level
You have to take care to set your fuel level before you leave the garage in practice or qualifying. You can do this in the "Car Setup" screen. For qualifying you want a low amount so that you can do a slow out lap, ultra-fast flying lap, and a slow in lap.
For practice you need to know how long you want to run. Are you doing a tyre wear test? If so fuel the car up so you can drive forever. If it's a qually sim then trim the fuel load down.
When it comes to the race, you can adjust your fuel on the grid in the "Race Strategy" screen.
We suggest giving yourself a little margin of 0.5-0.8 of a lap of fuel. This will stop you having to lift and coast too much. In Career Mode & My Team you can make your engine more fuel efficient, allowing you to "underfuel" and naturally recover some back. However, in online or one-off races always give yourself a margin.
A safety car period may mean you end up with too much, but that's better than finding yourself needing to save fuel in the last few laps and losing places because of it!