It might not be on the 2023 calendar but Shanghai remains in the F1 game. Its long straights and uniquely designed corners create an interesting challenge for all drivers. A favourite for league racing, this track is often in the multiplayer rotations.
Our F1 23 China setup will help you master this iconic track! With F1 24 right around the corner, now's the best time to get those final laps in ahead of this year's release.
Update: If you're looking for F1 24 setups, you can find the best F1 24 China setup here.
F1 23 China setup
Formula 1 hasn't been to Shanghai since 2019, with two false starts in recent years keeping the Chinese Grand Prix off the calendar. Racing should return in 2024, which is great to see as it's a wonderful track to drive.
F1 23's many updates and patches since release mean the car's dynamics have changed considerably. Our updated F1 23 China setup will help you dominate in Shanghai.
Aerodynamics
As a result, we've gone for 28-23 for the aerodynamic setup.
This will give you the much-needed speed on the straights without removing too much downforce needed for the slower corners.
Transmission
This part of the setup is all about how the rear wheels function. We have gone with 50% on-throttle and 50% off-throttle differential.
This gives the extra rotation needed for the tight corners. Just be wary as this can cause you to spin out when getting the power down.
Suspension geometry
We suggest -2.50 for front camber and -1.00 for rear camber. This is the normal meta for F1 23, providing good speed whilst also assisting with turning into corners.
Then it's 0.00 for the front toe and 0.10 for the rear toe. This generates tyre heat without using up that valuable rubber life.
Suspension
We've gone with 32-10 on the suspension and 13-3 for the anti-roll bars. This platform will give the car a very responsive nose and keep it stable through the changes of direction in China.
Ride height is set to 34-38. This will protect the floor as you take on the kerbs and give you enough rear height to let the wing do its work.
Brakes
We've gone for 100% brake pressure and 56% brake bias.
This gives you maximum stopping power, especially in the heavy braking zones. If you find yourself locking up the front wheels, you may need to move the bias more towards the rear.
Tyres
We're running 22.7 PSI for the front tyres and 20.3 PSI on the rears.
This gives the required grip without reducing the tyre life on longer stints.
Adjustments
These setups are intended for intermediate players who may still be using assists like traction control and ABS. However, if you are looking for an extra edge then you can try a few of these adjustments:
- Decrease the wing levels by 1-3 clicks to improve top speed
- This will make the car less capable on turn-in and less stable in high-speed direction changes
- If the car doesn't feel like it is doing what you want on turn-in then raise the front wing a click or two
- If the car is too loose at low speeds try moving the off-throttle differential up a point or two for more stability
- For a more "pointy" car stiffen the front suspension & anti-roll bar in relation to the rear
- This will make getting traction trickier
- Don't be afraid to move brake bias during the lap. More frontward will give better performance in heavy braking zones, and a rearward for lighter braking zones
- Lockups are easier to achieve in F1 23 than previous games. Front locking is less catastrophic than rear locking, and which way you go from our mark will increase your chances of a lockup in that direction
- Add a click of tyre pressure for short online races to improve tyre warm-up!