Elevating the F1 Management Experience: A Deep Dive into F1 Manager 2024

The highly anticipated third installment of the F1 Manager game series, F1 Manager 2024, has arrived, introducing a Nintendo Switch version alongside the existing PlayStation, Xbox, and PC releases. As the series continues to evolve, we delve into the game's new features, the perspectives of both seasoned and newcomer players, and the potential for future improvements to keep fans engaged for seasons to come.

Unlocking the Potential of F1 Management Simulation

Navigating the Complexities of F1 Management

For newcomers to the F1 Manager series, the initial experience can be daunting, as the game presents a wealth of intricate details and systems to master. Glenn Freeman, a series newcomer, shares his initial impressions: "The first thing that struck me about playing F1 Manager 2024 was how daunting it all felt when you get started. I jumped straight into a one-off race, where I managed to turn a 7-8 grid position for Mercedes into an 11-12 finish, and I wasn't really sure why!" However, he quickly discovered that the game's depth can be quickly navigated with the right approach, stating, "I took over Red Bull for a race (the game understandably is using earlier 2024 performance data) and getting a 1-2 there was a doddle. I'm sure I did a better job too, but it at least gave me some confidence that this game can be quick to master if you don't stack the deck against yourself."

Striking a Balance Between Accessibility and Depth

The series' veteran, Nathan Quinn, acknowledges the initial complexity that newcomers may face, but also highlights the game's efforts to strike a balance between accessibility and depth. "It's interesting to contrast a new player's perspective with someone who's played all of the F1 Manager games a lot. I can imagine it's a bit off-putting to start with. It's never as complicated as it feels at first." To address this, the developers have introduced difficulty settings in the career mode, allowing players to adjust both on-track and off-track elements to suit their preferences. "The good thing is that difficulty settings were added to the career mode late last year for F1 Manager 2023. You can change both on-track and off-track settings, and tweaking the on-track difficulty is definitely worth it for those who are less familiar with F1 strategies and tactics. It reduces how creative and aggressive the AI teams get, so you're under less pressure."

Streamlining the Off-Track Experience

While the on-track racing action has consistently been a strength of the F1 Manager series, the off-track management aspects have been a point of discussion. Freeman acknowledges the depth of these systems, but also expresses the need for more streamlined options. "I still don't feel like I have a handle at all on all the stuff you need to do between races when running your team. The level of depth the game has looks incredible, so you can't fault the attention to detail. But even to a hardcore F1 fan, who's not a total novice with F1 management games, it feels overwhelming." Quinn suggests that simplifying the presentation or introducing delegation options could help alleviate this burden. "My strategy has been estimating how many upgrades I can do per ATR period and then dividing my allowances up equally per upgrade. There's not much complexity beyond that, but I wouldn't blame anyone for being put off by it and it probably would benefit from simplifying its presentation or even having the option to automate it. Maybe deciding on key areas of improvement and delegating the specifics to your staff?"

Customizing the F1 Management Experience

One of the key features that has been well-received in F1 Manager 2024 is the ability to customize the starting conditions for your team. Freeman highlights the appeal of this option, stating, "I like that they have a few preset backstories you can choose – things like a big international company has come into F1 and has set up a team, etc. Or you can just define everything yourself, including your driver line-up and which staff you hire. When I set up my team, the default driver line-up it had was Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen! I wouldn't have felt right starting with those two, as fun as that would be." Quinn further elaborates on the depth of customization, noting the improvements over the Codemasters F1 games. "Create-a-team is great. They've clearly taken some cues from the Codemasters F1 games but F1 Manager 2024 has done it a bit better with the livery options and the extent to which you can customise your team's logo and placement of sponsor logos on your car."

Embracing the Deluxe Edition Extras

Another aspect that has caught the attention of players is the deluxe edition of F1 Manager 2024, which includes a collection of classic F1 liveries. Freeman highlights this feature as a welcome addition, stating, "At this point I'm obliged to mention that the deluxe edition features a bunch of miscoloured classic F1 liveries. All you have to do is tweak the colours and you've got a Marlboro-esque McLaren, an early-1990s Williams (which my 'Bring Back V10s' team races with), a mid-1990s Benetton, a Vodafone McLaren, and an early 2010s 'Team Enstone' livery. That's a great touch that I wish the Codemasters F1 games would adopt, too."

Capturing the Excitement of F1 Racing

One of the core strengths of the F1 Manager series has been its ability to capture the excitement and unpredictability of Formula 1 racing. Quinn emphasizes this aspect, stating, "The series has always shone the brightest when you have a race with multiple safety cars or a red flag or changeable weather conditions as it captures the magic of watching a truly great F1 race." Freeman echoes this sentiment, recounting his first career mode race in Bahrain: "My first career mode race in Bahrain featured a mid-race red flag, and after that there was a six-car battle for the lead for 20 laps, before it started to settle down a bit once the drivers who had tried to get to the end on soft tyres started to fade. A couple even had punctures on the last lap!"

Enhancing the Realism with Mechanical Failures

Another significant addition to F1 Manager 2024 is the inclusion of mechanical failures, which adds an extra layer of realism and strategic depth to the game. Quinn explains the impact of this feature, stating, "What makes it greater is that they are more than just forced retirements. Engine management has to be taken into consideration the same way that tyre temperatures (which were added last year) are. And having minor car issues that you can keep racing with finally gives purpose to telling your driver to stay off the kerbs – an instruction I never used at all in either of the last two games." Freeman experienced this firsthand in one of the scenario-based challenges, where he had to manage Charles Leclerc's engine in the final stint at Imola. "If you just told him to back everything off and drive cautiously Max would gobble him up, so it became a real juggling act. It felt like every decision I made really mattered."

Navigating the Sponsor Management Landscape

The sponsor management aspect of F1 Manager 2024 has also seen some notable improvements, adding more depth and complexity to the off-track experience. Quinn explains, "In F1 Manager 2024, the ability to try to get more money through promising good race results or doing team activities with your sponsors means there's more to think about on the off-track side than just developing car parts." Freeman acknowledges the impact of this feature, stating, "I think so far my team is projected to make quite a big loss in year one, so I'm hoping I can balance that out by achieving some race-by-race objectives and upsetting my drivers by making them do sponsor days! I'll deal with those consequences down the line, as the new 'mentality' system in the game looks like it's going to be a big juggling act as people get tired or upset with the team's performances during a long season."

Streamlining the Season Experience

One of the notable additions to F1 Manager 2024 is the ability to simulate races, which can be particularly useful for players who want to progress through multiple seasons more efficiently. Quinn explains the significance of this feature, stating, "I'm much more interested to see multiple season-by-season changes rather than spending literal hours bogged down in one year, particularly if you're stuck with an uncompetitive car." Freeman suggests that the game could further improve by borrowing a feature from the Codemasters F1 games, allowing players to run a reduced number of races per season. "Perhaps that's a feature that could be borrowed from the Codemasters games in future: the option to run a reduced number of races per season. If I try to play a full season it could be a long time before I get through the first year on my game!"

The Future of the F1 Manager Series

As the F1 Manager series continues to evolve, both Quinn and Freeman share their thoughts on what they would like to see in future installments. Quinn suggests that introducing more varied and dramatic rule changes could help keep the experience fresh and engaging over multiple seasons, stating, "What I'd like to see in next year's game? More varied and dramatic rule changes to help shake up the pecking order and make going through multiple seasons less repetitive." Freeman, on the other hand, believes that the addition of online multiplayer could be a game-changer, stating, "My suggestion for 2025 would be online multiplayer. Battling against teams run by real people would be so much fun."