When it comes to innovation, you wouldn't naturally think of the F1 game's multiplayer but they have created something new... welcome to F1 22 Elimination!
This new mode is a multiplayer-only, limited-time, experience that is pure chaos and perhaps one of the best examples of mid-release content updates we have seen in the F1 games.
F1 22 Elimination
This new mode gets rid of things like tyre wear, fuel wear, and even setups. That alone should be cause for concern, but instead the result is wildly entertaining.
Found in the Social Play part of the Multiplayer menu, Elimination pits you against a grid of other players in a straight knockout fight.
Rather than a lap counter, there is simply a countdown timer after which the player in last place gets eliminated. This counter is just 40 seconds, so you don't have long to make moves.
Annoyingly there is no qualifying for this race, so if you've started last that's just bad luck.
Pure chaos
Being an unranked race that naturally encourages aggressive overtaking the races are utter chaos.
You are almost better off cutting turn 1 if you can and accepting a corner-cut warning.
Unlike usual races though, there are no 3-second penalties getting applied to your finishing time. Rather, you get slowed down after accumulating a big enough penalty. This is reminiscent of Gran Turismo's penalty system but it doesn't just hit you in one spot on the track, it can hit you anywhere.
You can be squirming through a technical sector and get a slowdown, or have it hit just as you enter the main straight. This adds to the chaos factor and makes the races incredibly fun.
There is also a pretty fast return to track to get you going again after an inevitable shunt.
Make it permanent
This game mode is only available for a limited time. While Codemasters has not said how long it will be around for, we expect it will be here through Christmas.
The nature of the game is of course chaotic. It's less about racing and more about smart driving. Keeping yourself out of trouble is vital, but the default setups can cause you problems if you try and push through a corner like you've got a perfectly balanced setup on.
It won't be everyone's cup of tea but we really like it and hope this signals Codies' intent to keep innovating with the F1 franchise.