The third F1® 24 Season is underway and with it comes the Formula talent of the future, with all of the F2™ 2024 teams and drivers included. Read more about that here.
Whether you’re a rookie to the feeder series of the fastest motorsport around, or looking to hone your skills in these new cars, we’ve got your covered thanks to some tips and tricks from our Vehicle Handling Lead, Casey Ringley.
Check out everything available in Season 3, in the trailer below:
Welcome to F2™
For those who don’t know, Formula 2™ is considered the final step towards a driver’s goal in reaching Formula 1®.
Unlike F1®, where the teams can innovate their vehicles from one year to the next, all Formula 2™ teams are required to use the same chassis and engine, putting greater reliance on driver skill and consistency.
Many F2™ teams and drivers have partnerships with those in Formula 1®, and whilst winning the championship doesn’t guarantee you promotion, performing well in F2™ really shows you have what it takes to compete in the pinnacle of motorsport.
Former F2™ champions include Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri, and George Russell, but others such as Lando Norris and Yuki Tsonda wouldn’t be where they are today if it wasn’t for their performances in the F2™ class.
The format for F2™ differs in a few ways to F1®, with the biggest difference being two separate races on each race weekend. In F1® 24, you can recreate the 14 location calendar by heading to F1® World, selecting Grand Prix, navigating to F2™ 2024, and tabbing across to the ‘2024 FIA Formula 2 Championship’ screen, before selecting your favourite team and driver.
A Winning Formula 2™ Strategy
The first thing you’ll notice with the F2™™ 2024 cars compared to those in F1®, is the speed. Whilst they’re slower than F1®, they’re no slouches, with top speeds of up to 335 KP/H when factoring in aerodynamic advantages.
Just because they’re slower, doesn’t necessarily mean they’re easier to control, so here are Casey Ringley’s top points to keep in mind when tackling these new Formula 2™ cars.
- There are many similarities in handling feel with the F1® cars in the new F2™ chassis thanks to the change in aerodynamics package for 2024. The lower power level puts emphasis on smooth lines and momentum as you don't have 1000hp on-tap to bail out any mistakes made during corner entry. Drivers will be rewarded for fewer wheel movements when tackling corners
- 620 horsepower from the turbo V6 engine is less than F1®, but is still a lot of power. Combined with a touch of turbo lag and much narrower rear tyres than F1®, you need to pay attention when getting on throttle out of corners
- When considering tweaking your setup, know that the 2024 car uses a ground effect aero design. This means the car likes to run low to the ground, with a more stiff suspension for optimal performance
- Tyre management is important in the Sprint races as you really don't want to be making a Pit Stop. It’s usually the faster option to pick the harder compound so you can push for the full race distance
- Pit strategy is more flexible in Feature races; which compound you start on and when to pit can depend more on the situation of other cars around you and whether you think an under- or over-cut strategy will work best
- Hard tyres are roughly similar to the F1® C1 compound. The lack of tyre blankets requires some care on the out lap until they get into the operating window, with optimal performance arriving around the end of the second flying lap
- Supersofts work much like the F1® C4 compound and reach the operating window quickly even without tyre blankets. They’re very quick tyres for a few laps, but keep in mind that they wear much much more quickly than the harder compounds
Still struggling? Head to F1® World before October 13 to tackle a series of Track Mastery events at Belgium, Qatar, and Great Britain, designed to get you up to speed in these new machines.
Eliminate Your Foes
Once you’re comfortable with these new cars, be sure to give Elimination Mode a go while you can. Running until October 13, this limited-time mode is exclusive to the new F2™ 2024 cars and is full of action and excitement.
Elimination Mode is all about being the last driver standing. Every 30 seconds, the person in last place will be knocked out until there’s just one remaining. Here are some tips to lasting out in this new mode:
- Keep it clean. Unnecessary contact is likely to cause you more problems. Drivers with a smooth and consistent driving style will win out the day
- There’s no need to panic! If you find yourself in last place in the early stages, don’t overdrive the car and risk another mistake that will be sure to eliminate you. Maintain consistency and perhaps a driver or two ahead of you will feel the pressure, giving you an opportunity to pass
- If you find yourself in a tight one-on-one battle in the closing stages, keep an eye on the clock and perhaps a well-timed late lunge into a corner on a line you may not usually take will be enough to snatch victory
- If you miss out on the win, don’t fret. Rewards are dished out for finishing 12th or higher, with each new week offering a new piece in the “Neon Drive” set for those finishing higher than 7th
Be sure to revisit Elimination Mode each week that it’s running so you have a chance to complete the “Neon Drive” set, adding it to your collection for use in My Team and Multiplayer.
F1® 24 - Available Now
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2488620/F1_24/
*Virtual currency to spend in-game.