'F1 22' has been redesigned to fit the new Formula 1 era

Formula 1 has entered a new era. A new car spec and new set of regulations were introduced by the sport. The sprint race format is still in its infancy and there is a new circuit in the United States. Big changes for teams at the start of the season led Codemasters to redesign the latest entry in the F1 game series to match the real-life updates on the track.

F1 22 is the biggest update to the title in years, as Codemasters typically does for games like this. The debut of a new generation car is not hyperbole. The company says the handling is better than ever, with upgrades to the aerodynamic and suspension simulation, and changes to tires per the real-life regulations. Codemasters says it was in contact with both F1 and teams on how the new generation of cars would drive so it could completely remake the mechanics and physics of the game.

Codemasters has replaced the voice of the race engineer on your team with that of a former member of McLaren Racing. Preistley's guidance was recorded through a Formula 1-spec headset so the audio is as authentic as possible. Formation Lap and augmented reality-guided grid lineup were added to the race day changes. There is a timed pit box entry mechanic that affects the efficiency of your stop.

Practice sessions now have an augmented reality projection on the track to help rookies and experienced drivers learn circuits. Formation Lap and safety car sequence give you the option of actively participating or watching a more broadcast-like cinematic version of the process. Codemasters says this gives users who crave authenticity the ability to go through every motion of a race, but it also gives more casual users the choice of something more relaxed. Pit stops can be as active as you want them to be. You can either manually hit your pit box with the timing mechanic or watch from a TV-style perspective.

There is a new feature for beginners. Codemasters says this is for people who are fans of F1 but not skilled at racing games. The game's artificial intelligence plays more closely with the user so that even a novice driver can participate in the race. There are two levels to adaptiveai, standard and aggressive mode, which slows down the game even more.

F1 22 will add the sprint race format that Formula 1 adopted for select weekends in 2021. quali is used to set the grid for the sprint, but a short dash determines the starting grid for the Grand Prix at these circuits. There will be sprint races at Imola, Austria and Brazil this season. F1 added a second race in the US this year in Miami, and that circuit will feature in the game. Codemasters made changes to Australia, Spain and Abu Dhabi in order to better accommodate the new cars.

There are changes for the career and My Team mode. You can choose between newcomer, challenger or title contender. You can start with a team that already has established operations, or you can make things more challenging. If you don't handle facilities issues properly, like skipping an interview or not dealing with a problem, your season can be affected.

Codemasters has expanded the area in which you can modify your livery. There are more finishes for the car and there are more places on the car that can be changed. You can copy and paste livery color schemes to places like your engineering facility with interface updates.

F1 Life has a central hub that you can use to see the cars you have unlocked in secondary game modes, browse your trophy case and personalize your driver's style. There is a closet where you can update both casual and race wear, right down to the helmet and gloves. The lobby for F1 Life is where your driver and their style will be seen by everyone. You can change furniture, lighting, art and more in your space or living area as you please.

There is a component for the PC. You will be able to race from the perspective of the driver, taking in the entire race from the cockpit. If you've ever watched a driver cam during a race, you'll have a good idea of what to expect. Even if your friends don't have a virtual reality headset, you can still play online and race against them.

The digital edition of F1 22 will be available on June 28th. The regular version will follow on July 1st.