F1 23 boasts added realism & a fix to low-gear traction

It is well and truly F1 23 hype season. Codemasters & EA has dropped the first deep dive for the game, looking at some of the changes to physics & handling, as well as things like red flags and the new circuits.

With narration from Natalie Pinkham, Codemasters gave us a look at new gameplay, new locations, and some wonderful new animations.

Let's take a look at it all!

Driveability the focus

Players have often maligned the driveability of F1 games. Previous titles have usually required a specific style of driving that wasn't transferable to other titles. This seems to have been corrected though.

The one that will particularly please racers is the discussion of low-speed traction. This has often forced players to leave the medium traction control assist on. However "F1 23 delivers a universal leap forward" says narrator Natalie Pinkham,

Acceleration, braking, and rotation are all enhanced for F1 23, with tyre slip being updated along with its relationship to the interia of these massive F1 cars. Teams have fed back into the game, along with former F1 driver Anthony Davidson who states there has been "quite a big change".

The balance between aero grip and mechanical grip has also been finetuned in an effort to bring it closer to real life, while more progressive torque has been added, which should hopefully make lower gears more useable and less liable to spin you into the barrier.

All of this should go into making the game both more realistic and easier, as the cars act more predictably and more in-line with how serious sims like iRacing and Assetto Corsa treat their handling.

Red flags

The long-requested red flags have been added to the game at last. F1 23 will monitor track conditions to determine if a VSC, SC, or red flag is needed. And Red flags can be triggered by crashes, cars retiring in unsafe positions on track, or even extreme rain.

Just like the safety car, players can adjust the sensitivity of red flags within their save. It also looks like players will be able to drive back to the pits, rather than just have the game transport them there.

Red flags are also an option for online races. And of course, you'll be able to make repairs and change tyres too.

Vegas & Losail

We got our first look at the two new circuits for F1 23, Las Vegas and Losail. While the Qatar circuit is hardly new for anyone who plays MotoGP, it is new to F1. But the standout will be Las Vegas.

Codemasters has had to build a huge amount of city architecture into the Las Vegas Street Circuit thanks to its position on one of the most recognisable pieces of public tarmac in the world. The Las Vegas Strip is littered with landmarks, all faithfully reproduced.

F1 23 release date

The new game is rapidly approaching. The official F1 23 release date is set for 16 June. This is the earliest an F1 game has launched in a long time, which is hopefully a good thing.

Players can also go racing three days early, on 13 June if they buy the Champions Edition. The extra edition of course comes with a higher cost but it also gives you that early access and the following:

• Limited time Las Vegas Content (for pre-orders before 31 May)
• Max Verstappen Race Wear Pack
• Braking Point 2 Icons
• Braking Point 2 Vanity Items
• Dual Entitlement (for PlayStation & Xbox)
• Four new My Team Icons
• XP boost
• F1 World Bumper Pack
• 18,000 PitCoins