A new officially licensed F1 Manager game is set for summer 2022 release.
F1 will launch its first officially licensed video game in over two decades this summer, F1 Manager 2022. The last official F1 manager entry was F1 Manager 2000 by EA Sports, after which the genre entered a hiatus. 2014’s Motorsport Manager is the most recent game to get close to delivering an F1 management experience, however this does not have an official licence.
Codemasters added the popular “My Team” mode to its official F1 game series from 2020, adding a manager element. Players in “My Team” manage and race for their own F1 team, choose their teammate, design their livery, sign sponsors, and choose car development pathways. While this was a step towards a manager mode, a fully licensed F1 Manager game has been missing for many years.
F1 Manager 2022 will be produced by Frontier Developments. The first game in a “multi-title agreement with F1”, it will launch on Xbox Series X and S, PlayStation® 5, Xbox One, PlayStation® 4, Steam and the Epic Store. F1 Manager 2022 will be the developer’s first venture into sports management, having produced game titles including Elite Dangerous, Planet Coaster, Jurassic World Evolution 1 & 2 and Planet Zoo.
Players will take on the challenge of becoming Team Principal of any of the ten existing F1 teams competing in the upcoming 2022 season, with Frontier promising “unparalleled authenticity and broadcast-quality presentation”.
Detailing what fans can expect, Frontier said “the first entry in this exciting series of games will invite players and F1 fans to own every aspect of leading a team to victory, upgrading cars and race facilities, hiring drivers and engineers, balancing budgets and driver demands, all before the race weekend kicks into gear. Once the race gets underway, stay calm under pressure and make critical decisions as you manage your team to victory”.
Ross Brawn, Managing Director of Motorsports, recalled his own days managing Brawn GP at the launch “It’s great to see F1 Manager 2022 take shape and for people to see this exciting title come to life. I know from personal experience that leading a team can be challenging, but it’s certainly rewarding.
The F1 Manager franchise is a great opportunity for fans to put themselves in the shoes of a team principal and experience some of that for themselves. I am confident that with their own successful track record in management gaming, Frontier will deliver an enjoyable and engaging experience for fans.”
Game Director at Frontier, Andy Fletcher, said, “There’s never been a better time to be a Formula 1 fan, and we’re excited to deliver a new way for F1 fans to immerse themselves in the biggest racing spectacle in the world. F1 Manager 2022 will deliver an experience for both new and long-term fans that is as authentic as it is exciting. Our commitment to the ever-changing world of Formula 1 will build a strong foundation for a long and special series that will evolve over time.”