An at-a-glance guide to the features in F1 2011, and how it compares to the previous title.
Read the review here:
| F1 2011 | F1 2010 | |
| Platforms | Sony Playstation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, PC | Sony Playstation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, PC |
| Season data | 2011 | 2010 |
| Maximum cars on track | 24 | 24 |
| Game modes | Career, custom season, individual race, time trial, time attack | Career, custom season, individual race, time trial |
| Difficulty modes | Easy, Medium, Hard, Expert | Easy, Medium, Hard, Expert |
| Race distance | Between one lap and full distance | Between one lap and full distance |
| In-season driver changes | No | No |
| In-season car livery changes | No | No |
| Customisation | ||
| Download-able content | Not planned | Not planned |
| Customise driver name | Yes | Yes |
| Third party modifications | Not supported | Not supported |
| Rules and regulations | ||
| Marshal flags | Yellow, green, blue, black, black-and-white, red, chequered | Yellow, green, blue, black, black-and-white, chequered |
| Safety car | Yes | No |
| Race stoppages | Yes | No |
| Mandatory pit stop rule | Yes (for races of at least 20% distance) | Yes (for races of at least 20% distance) |
| Top ten qualifiers start race on tyres they set best time on | Yes | Yes |
| Grid penalties | Yes | Yes |
| Drive-through penalties | Yes | Yes |
| Stop-go penalties | No | No |
| Post-race time penalties | Yes | Yes |
| Race disqualification | Yes | Yes |
| 107% rule | No | n/a |
| Realism | ||
| Kinetic Energy Recoery System | Yes (for cars that have it) | n/a |
| Drag Reduction System | Yes | n/a |
| Adjustable front wing | n/a | Yes |
| Adjustable engine settings | Yes | Yes |
| F-ducts | n/a | No |
| Pit lane speed limiter | Yes | Yes |
| Set-up options | ||
| Front wing angle | 1 – 11 | 1 – 11 |
| Rear wing angle | 1 – 11 | 1 – 11 |
| Brake balance | 60/40 – 40/60 (front to rear) | 60/40 – 40/60 (front to rear) |
| Brake pressure | Low/Medium/High | Low/Medium/High |
| Brake size | Small/Standard/Large | Small/Standard/Large |
| Ballast distribution | Not configurable | 100/0 – 0/100 (front to rear) |
| Front anti-roll bar | 1 – 11 | 1 – 11 |
| Rear anti-roll bar | 1 – 11 | 1 – 11 |
| Front ride height | 1 – 11 | 1 – 11 |
| Rear ride height | 1 – 11 | 1 – 11 |
| Front sping stiffness | 1 – 11 | 1 – 11 |
| Rear sping stiffness | 1 – 11 | 1 – 11 |
| Gear ratios | Defined by speed per gear | Defined by speed per gear |
| Throttle map | Not configurable | Standard/fast |
| Front camber | -3.5 – -2.5 | -3.5 – -2.5 |
| Rear camber | -1.5 – -0.5 | -1.5 – -0.5 |
| Front toe | 0.15 – 0.05 | 0.15 – 0.05 |
| Rear toe | 0.5 – 0.2 | 0.5 – 0.2 |
| Driving assistance | ||
| Braking assistance | Off/On | Off/On |
| Anti-lock braking | Off/On | Off/On |
| Traction control | Off/Medium/Full | Off/Medium/Full |
| Dynamic racing line | Off/Corners Only/Always On | Off/Corners Only/Always On |
| Gearbox | Manual/Automatic | Manual/Automatic |
| Pit assist | On/Off | Separate settings for limiter and control |
| Flashbacks (Jump back to earlier point in session) | Yes, limited by difficulty level | Yes, limited by difficulty level |
| Multi-player | ||
| Online multi-player | Yes | Yes |
| Vote to skip tracks/drop players? | Yes | Yes |
| Console link mutli-player | Yes | Yes |
| Split-screen multi-player | Yes | No |
| Maximum players | 16 (plus eight AI) | 12 (one per team) |
| Other | ||
| Full-length replays | Yes (post-race; shorter replays in-race) | Yes (post-race; shorter replays in-race) |
| Save replays | No | No |
Buy F1 2011 for Sony PlayStation 3
Buy F1 2011 for Microsoft Xbox 360
Buy F1 2011 for PC
F1 2011 by Codemasters
- F1 2011: The F1 Fanatic review
- Codemasters show off F1 2011 gameplay
- F1 2011 – Codemasters’ F1 sequel played
- F1 2011 by Codemasters – first pictures
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PJTierney (@)
21st September 2011, 17:36
Unable to change ballast, that was one of the regulation changes this year, correct?
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
21st September 2011, 17:50
The weight distribution is restricted but there is still a range, albeit a narrow one.
Fixy (@)
21st September 2011, 17:41
I like how most options/features are the same, as car setup options, because it makes it easier to familiarise with the game for those who have played F1 2010.
85q
21st September 2011, 18:41
so you can no longer adjust throttle map? thats a shame, it was a great feature. all it needed was a fuel gauge to tell you how it was effecting your consumption….instead of getting 4 laps from the end and getting the dreaded yellow light.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
21st September 2011, 18:51
You can change it while you’re in the car, but it’s not part of the set-up options.
Pawel Wroniecki (@pawelf1)
22nd September 2011, 18:31
you can also change it in the pits so it is like a setup (in engine options)
Keith have you seen that in Monaco Tunnel DRS can be enabled ;(
LosD (@losd)
21st September 2011, 19:01
That F1 2010 did not support 3rd party modifications is not _entirely_ true. While there was no official support from Codemasters, a whole community of modders still appeared, and it is amazing what they have done with the game.
BasCB (@bascb)
21st September 2011, 19:38
Thats why it says its “not supported” as in not officially supported by Codemasters, I guess.
Steph (@)
21st September 2011, 20:30
If memory serves F12010 also had the racing line and automatic gears for driver aids-does F12011 have those too?
I read that the scary woman has gone from the motorhome and I think that is the best improvement ever.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
21st September 2011, 21:03
Yes they are – sorry, the bottom of the table had been cut off. Fixed it now.
daykind (@)
22nd September 2011, 8:28
COTD by a mile Steph :)
Steph (@)
22nd September 2011, 13:17
Thanks Daykind :P
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
21st September 2011, 22:39
I’m looking forward to carnage with the safety car!
I should try and play around with the car settings more this time round, using this sites track guide as my aid!
PaulGrainger (@)
21st September 2011, 22:51
Still not a proper simulator in my eyes… When are they going to make a game that does F1 justice instead of just a whole lot of eye candy?
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
22nd September 2011, 0:40
What would it take for the game to be a “proper” simulator then?
drmouse (@drmouse)
22nd September 2011, 12:38
It’s not supposed to be a simulator, it’s supposed to be a game.
dkpio
22nd September 2011, 18:19
play grand prix 3 or 4 then. not as nice graphics, but much better physics then this game. f1 2010 and 2011 are a better game, but lack the simulator feel of the gpx games. i tried f1 2010 last year and really wanted to get into it, but got annoyed by the unrealistic physical, especially the crap kerb physics, and how you had to take driving lines to avoid kerbs, (as they unrealistically put you into a spin too often), where in real f1 cars they would use those kerbs to gain speed. the gpx games dont have this problem
PaulGrainger (@)
22nd September 2011, 7:14
Just more realism in the handling of the cars and the ability to properly implement real driving techniques ie. Rotating the car on entry with the brake or on exit with the throttle. Another thing that always gives me the ***** is when the on screen steering wheel doesn’t follow the input of my gaming wheel and instead stops at 90 degrees… Be nice if the drivers arms actually crossed in the really right corners. The closest I’ve found to an F1 sim is in Live For Speed and the car is so hard let alone SCARY to drive – so rewarding when you get it right! That’s what I want…
Don
22nd September 2011, 12:01
Making a video-game today carries a lot more financial risk than in the period before the onset of iOS and premium-content games, which was already risk-heavy.
At a basic level, what you are asking for will cost more money to develop, and not sell as many units across all SKUs than their current approach.
I agree it would be a great experience, I would even play it multiplayer with you – but I can see where Codemasters has positioned their product and I agree with them.
Check out the link from a few days back for the online racing broadcast coverage. There are good open wheeler options out there for PC racing.
daykind (@)
22nd September 2011, 8:29
I’m so surprised that the 107% rule isn’t in. Not disappointed, but surprised.
Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys)
22nd September 2011, 8:54
Given the difficulty of driving, 107% would result in a lot of players failing to qualify. And that would probably drive casual gamers away if they can’t even race. They shouldn’t have to spend a few hours practicing in Time Trial just to be able to set a decent time.
That said, it’s a shame there are no feeder series in the game. They’d serve as a great tutorial. I remember F1 2005 had a pre-season ‘audition’, where you got intoduced to the game by running trials for the bottom three teams (hard to believe Red Bull was only an introductory team back then). Based on your performance, you would be offered a lead, second or test driver role.
sato113 (@sato113)
22nd September 2011, 11:53
keith i believe in f12010 you couldn’t vote to skip tracks/drop players…
sato113 (@sato113)
22nd September 2011, 12:39
nice neat comparison! thanks
PJTierney (@)
22nd September 2011, 13:24
Vitaly Vettel! :D
JSprelude5h
22nd September 2011, 19:06
Being from the states I’ve already had the game for a few days, although with my course load this semester I haven’t been able to devote as much time as I’d like to it so far. I must say the game is different from 2010 (my set-ups from sprint mode are useless), but i think thats a good thing. Different car handling along with the use of KERS and DRS add to the challenge. I’ve run on several of the tracks that the curbs (Kerbs for you all across the pond) gave me problems in 2010 (last chicane in Catalunya, sector 3 at Yas Marina) and it seems to be improved. Not a fan of the new 3D driving line (although you can revert it to 2D through career mode) so I’ve been racing without it.
I run without traction control and ABS and i’ve noticed that off the line at the start its much easier to get wheel spin. It also seems to be easier to lock up the brakes, but both of these could partly be due to the fact i’m still working in set ups. When you run in career mode if you’re outside the driving line you will see(and feel) marble pick up on the tires.
So far I’m a fan.
Jeff
Xbox360 Gamer Tag (if anyone wants to race)- JSprelude5h
JSprelude5h
22nd September 2011, 19:10
Sorry for the 2nd post – Another thought just came to me. I like the new multiplayer points system with objectives and the stat tracking. Curious to see what sprint mode for this game version will be like as you can now lose ranks for failing objectives or finishing behind drivers of a lower rank.
-Jeff
Pram
26th October 2011, 7:49
Hi all,
I just bought this game last week and am getting accustomed to it. I am a big fan of the GPX series. Even though this game is awesome in realism and graphics etc, I somehow feel the car handling is a bit awkward, not sure if this is because of the keyboard. I am having to turn-in to corners really late (compared to GPX) else i am pushed onto the grass on the inside. Also, i feel the feedback from the car on oversteer used to be much faster and better in GPX.
Pls can you guys share any tips that can make the handling a little sweeter?