Exclusive: F1 Manager 23 Preview and Interview with Frontier Developments

Thanks to Frontier Developments, who developed and published this racing management simulation game, GPblog had the chance to test the brand-new game, as well as exclusively interview Andy Fletcher, the Game Director, and Stuart Warren, the Executive Producer of F1 Manager 23.

What is F1 Manager 23, and where did the idea come from?

F1 Manager 23 allows F1 fans to immerse themselves in the role of the team principal, taking on their duties and guiding the team they oversee throughout the season. And thanks to crystal-clear graphics, licensed names and teams, and meticulous game depth, the real thing does not come much closer.

"We were very pleased with how many fans got on board with the direction we had for the series," said Andy Fletcher, the Game Director for F1 Manager 23.  "It was immensely satisfying to read the accounts of dramatic races that players had been experiencing in their careers as F1 Team Principals and those foundations gave rise to a passionate community that helps to shape the future of the series."

During a race weekend, you can take control of what your drivers do throughout the sessions, along with managing their setups, strategies, and driving styles.  And when you are back at the factory, you can manage the behind-the-scenes aspects of a team in great detail, including scouting future starts from Formula 2 and Formula 3, along with managing your staff and facilities to the best of your ability.

"The world of F1 is full of strategic decisions, both during race weekends and back at the team headquarters," Fletcher continued. "It is also full of drama, as you see those decisions put to the test in a spectacular Grand Prix. There is a huge appeal in the idea of masterminding a race's success by assessing many contributing factors and making the right tactical calls for your team. Seeing how their decisions affect the future of Formula 1 is something unique."

New game modes will entice old and new players

Of course, F1 Manager 23 cannot be a carbon copy of the previous game, and Frontier Developments have branched out in a big way to include different modes and keep the game fresh and exciting.

Game Director Fletcher said, "With Race Replay, career mode team switching, and mid-session save functionality, we have taken a huge leap from last year in terms of making the experience more varied and flexible. 

"Broadening the scope of the game is definitely something we are mindful of, but there are many ways to keep the game fresh, and we also think it is important to develop the core experience with new features like pit crew training and driver confidence, as well as refining the balance and realism of what we already have in place."

One of those modes mentioned, Race Replay, was something GPblog tried when testing the game, and it is something that will intrigue users greatly. "For every race of the 2023 season, you will be able to take on two different challenges," explained the games Executive Producer, Stuart Warren. "You can take your spot in the Starting Grid – exactly as it was for lights out on Sunday, and try to better the result of your chosen team.

"You can also jump into a Race Moment, which will put you into a carefully reconstructed and specific mid-race moment to see if you can outmanoeuvre the decisions of the real team principal that day. These Race Replays will replicate weather conditions, tyre conditions, tyre history, air temperature, track temperature and more – so you have this thrilling new experience that remains rooted in the authenticity expected of the game."

And with new scenarios added after every race of the 2023 season, this year's edition of F1 Manager goes above and beyond in an immersive experience for the game's players. "We wanted a way for players to get closer to the current Championship while it is still playing out," said Fletcher.

"As F1 fans, we loved the idea of being able to re-write the outcome of the last race or to jump into key moments and re-live the drama or try an alternative strategy. It is a really fun crossover experience where you’re both enjoying the real race and enjoying playing it within the game."

"Community played a big part" in games development to attract a wider audiences

After a positive start to their F1 Manager series, the team at Frontier Developments were all ears to what the community had to say about their game last year and how they can improve to make this year's edition an improvement.

"When we set out to make F1 Manager 2023, the voice of the community played a big part in determining what went into the game," stated Warren. "Any of those features have then come together really nicely.

"We knew driver development and the ability to hire stars for the future was something the community wanted to see built upon. Young drivers [F2 and F3] excelling in those series will rise to the top quicker. Couple this with the ability to hire drivers for next season – another key request from the community – and there is a whole new layer of depth to team management."

Fletcher also spoke about newcomers being made to feel welcome in the game's community and how new fans of F1 can still enjoy this in-depth game. "We’re pleased with how the tutorial guides newcomers to the sport through the game, regardless of their F1 expertise. 

"It is an aim of ours for players to be able to enjoy the key game elements early on and learn more as they get further into the game. We ensure the interactive options available to the player at any one time are kept simple, and most screens have additional help or info buttons to give greater insight into specific features. 

"We are also delighted to support standalone races and a whole new way to play via our new Race Replay game mode. It is fantastic to be able to jump straight into the action of a single race scenario, or to play through 2023’s races without having to engage with the in-depth team management of Career mode."

When is the game released, and how can you play it?

The single-player video game will initially be released on July 31, 2023, and will be available at a retail price of £44.99 on a selection of platforms, including Microsoft Windows, PlayStation and Xbox.

There is also a Deluxe Edition to F1 Manager 23 which can be purchased for £54.99 and includes an exclusive scenario pack offering 12 unique scenario challenges, which include both starting grid and race moment challenges. And if you pre-order that edition, you get four days of early access to play the game.