Building on the exciting new partnership with Max Verstappen, who now boasts EA Sports branding on the chin of his helmet, the back-to-back World Champion is confirmed as the cover star for the digital-exclusive F1 23 Champions Edition.

Braking Point returns for a bold new chapter following the careers of young upstart Aiden Jackson, and protagonist, Devon Butler, now teammates for Konnersport Racing Team, a fledgling organization hoping to succeed against the current real-world F1 teams and drivers. Adding a host of new characters, fresh rivalries, and racing challenges, both aim to take their careers to the next level, but there will be twists, turns, and pitfalls along the way.

F1 23’s handling has been upgraded from last season, allowing for more predictable behavior, and new vehicle physics gives the cars better traction when braking, accelerating, and cornering. By incorporating actual F1 team feedback, a greater balance between aerodynamics and tyre grip results in a more realistic feel. Engine torque and inertia improvements also mean throttle control is more authentic and offers a greater level of connection to the car. Alongside these improvements, Precision Drive controller technology will give pad players better control and confidence in those crucial race moments.

Electronic Arts announces new game updates and real-world challenges coming to EA Sports F1 23.

‘F1 World’, the in-game hub connecting drivers with more ways to engage with the sport they love through regular content updates, will introduce a new ‘Pro Challenge’ at the end of August, where fans will be able to go wheel to wheel with EA SPORTS ambassador Max Verstappen in a ghost lap time trial. Launching today, the first ‘F1 Replay’, Racenet’s new mobile app for ‘Leagues’ and updated Driver Ratings based on their real-season performance will enhance player experience and continue to bring the game and sport closer together.

“We are really excited to provide fans with new racing challenges, including the opportunity to test their skills against in-game ghost laps of real-world F1 drivers, starting with the current Championship leader,” said Lee Mather, Senior Creative Director at Codemasters. “Our new ‘Pro Challenge’ will become a key feature in ‘F1 World’ hub awarding racers both glory and exclusive items.”

The first ‘F1 Replay’, an all-new event type that allows armchair F1 drivers to relive previous races in the 2023 Championship by taking control of any of the 20 drivers in a replica Grand Prix, launches today. Starting with the FORMULA 1 GULF AIR BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX, each week a new race from the 2023 season will be included.  

Over the course of the next month, ‘F1 World’ will host a series of studio-curated scenarios that test even the most seasoned veteran. These will star some fan-favourite drivers including George Russell (July 24), Fernando Alonso (July 31), Valtteri Bottas (August 8) and Oscar Piastri (August 22). ‘F1 World’ will continue to supply regular gameplay updates, earning players exclusive team and seasonal rewards, such as special edition liveries, driver helmets, race suits, and more.

On July 25, F1 23 will launch ‘Leagues’ on Racenet via a new mobile app (available for iOS and Android). Players will be able to create, join, schedule, and manage custom multiplayer championships directly from their phones. ‘On-Demand’ league racing, giving players the flexibility to race without the need to schedule a specific date and time, and the re-introduction of AI to the grid to customise AI settings and difficulties in each league, have been added to the platform. In the near future, telemetry data via the app will be enhanced, allowing racers to compare their time trial laps against their friends, rivals and professional drivers.

‘F1 World’ is just one of the exciting game modes available in F1 23. Alongside competing on every circuit for the 2023 season with all teams and drivers, players can live the drama of Formula 1 in ‘Braking Point 2’, and create their own legacy via the different single and multiplayer modes including the widely popular My Team. Keeping up with the progress of the Championship and building on the game’s authenticity, a Driver Ratings update has been released today with the help of F1 experts, Anthony Davidson and Alex Jacques, to better represent drivers’ real-life performances from Monaco to Silversone.

The full list of updated in-game Driver Ratings and more information on the topic can be found here.

Following community feedback, 35% race distance makes its debut, providing the perfect sweet spot between the previous short and long race options. Additionally, red flags add a new strategic element to F1 23, and the ability to react quickly could change the outcome of a race, both for better and worse. Alongside the full 2023 season calendar, which expands to include Las Vegas and Lusail, the game also boasts three legacy circuits, with Paul Ricard (France), Shanghai (China), and Portimão (Portugal) all confirmed for launch.

The introduction of the F1 World hub delivers a fresh experience with content inspired by the real-world calendar. Helping introduce players to the complex world of Formula 1, F1 World brings together multiple game modes, including Time Trial and Grand Prix, offering an exciting new way to play the game. A new progression system allows players to level up by completing challenges to unlock car upgrades, new liveries, race suits, and helmets. A new safety rating system links online and offline play, encouraging drivers to race cleanly. This system also helps pair like-minded drivers more efficiently for improved online racing.

F1 23 is available for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and PC (EA App/Epic Games Store/Steam).