F1 Manager 2022: Everything We Know So Far
If you're a Ferarri fan who has spent the last few years ranting about the team's pitstop tactics, or deep down you know you're the man who can take Aston Martin to glory, now's your chance. Or more specifically, August 30 is your chance — because that's when "F1 Manager 2022" comes out. Like other management games, notably SI Games' "Football Manager," you don't directly control the participants and you aren't a driver. The team's success depends solely on your tactical decisions. If things aren't going well, you can make some adjustments during a race but decisions you make off the track will have a large impact and some choices you make early on could affect you all season or even beyond.
The game is being developed by UK-based studio Frontier which has produced a number of notable titles including "Elite Dangerous" and "Planet Coaster." "F1 Manager 2022" is set to release on August 30, though if you pre-order a digital copy you'll have access to the game five days early. The racing management simulator will make its way to Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, as well as PC via both Steam and Epic Games.
You really are in control
Frontier has given "F1 Manager 2022" players free rein to do what they want. The player chooses from one of the 10 available Formula One teams and takes on the role of that team's principal. From that point on, they are in charge of absolutely everything. This includes choosing which drivers to hire, which staff members to recruit, whose contracts should be extended, how the car should be designed, and what strategies should be executed on race day.
However, although you are in charge, you still have your own bosses — namely the team's board of directors. They'll tell you what their expectations are for the season, and you have to try and meet or exceed them. These expectations are set based on the team's standing, so at Red Bull, you're probably expected to win a title while at Williams the bar will be set a lot lower.
There is also the option to upgrade your team's facilities and manufacturing centers. This will allow you to build a legacy and lay the groundwork for success in later seasons. Over time you could take the worst team on the circuit and turn it into a powerhouse. There are also regulatory changes to vote on and respond to, you may invest heavily into tweaking your car's engine a certain way only for that modification to be banned before it has finished development.
There are no immersion-breaking licensing issues
Many solid games have had their work ruined a bit by an organization not wanting to play ball. Nothing ruins immersion like a player having to take their carefully crafted team to an away game at "North London Red" with their generic logo and misspelled player names. Luckily this isn't a problem with "F1 Manager 2022" as Frontier has secured pretty extensive licensing rights. Formulas One, Two, and Three — along with every team racing in them — are in the game along with every notable driver and staff member you can think of. You can also actively poach drivers and staff members from any team or racing division.
To take things further, the game even has team radio recorded by genuine Formula One drivers and staff. This isn't just a gimmick, but an accurate portrayal of a key communication tool used on every race day. If virtual Max Verstappen is one of your drivers and he feels a problem with his car, you'll hear him say so. There are also realistic camera views to create the impression of an actual Formula One broadcast as you're playing. There is still a lot more to be revealed before the game launches in late August. It's been years since we last had a licensed F1 management game and "F1 Manager 2022" is looking like it's going to provide fans with everything they've been missing.