Formula 1 Video Games

The 2025 Formula 1 Grand Prix is officially underway, with the first round taking place in Melbourne (Australia) at the time of this story. As I type these words, I can hear the supercars whooshing all the way from my apartment; supersonic soundwaves, apparently.

Formula 1 is a motorsport that exists in a world of its own, and the fandom surrounding it has really picked up in the last five or so years. This is a sport with a rich history and legacy of legendary drivers. Formula 1: Drive to Survive on Netflix no doubt introduced new fans to the sport, which you can check out right now with its six seasons of dramatic intensity. Fans can also look forward to the theatrical release of the aptly and succinctly titled F1 in 2025, starring Brad Pitt and Damson Idris in an almost Top Gun-style buddy-pilot dynamic. The full trailer debuted to commemorate the start of the 2025 grand prix.

If you're following the latest season or weren't one of the lucky ones in Melbourne who managed to score the hottest ticket in town, here are some F1 video games you can pick up right now on most modern gaming platforms.

F1 24

The official F1 video game is no doubt a great place to start. It features all the licenses, likenesses, and most importantly, staggering production values and ultra-realism rivaling the likes of Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport. While the annual EA release cycles can cause inevitable burnout, F1 24 is the definite driving simulation that captures the majesty of the motorsport. It's a feature-heavy game, but more importantly, it's just a stunning game to look at and admire on any modern hardware, especially the attention to detail when driving in first-person. The game is available via a Game Pass subscription too. If you happen to be going through an F1 phase right now, this is the ideal time to pick up F1 24.

F1 Manager 24

Chances are you might be more fascinated with the behind-the-scenes management and business aspect of F1 rather than the actual driving aspect, and if that's the case then F1 Manager 24 has you covered. The Manager series started out as a companion game to the main driving franchise with the release of F1 Manager 22, and unfortunately it looks like there won't be any more new releases after F1 Manager 24. Not only is Manager overshadowed by the main driving franchise, but it also struggled to find its footing as a deep management simulator, nowhere near something like Championship Manager. That being said, for most fans of the sport there is a lot to enjoy here, and it's best experienced on a portable device making it perfect for a handheld PC like Steam Deck. There is also a Switch version which, although it suffers from graphical and performance issues, at least allows players to take the experience on the go, and it holds up reasonably well when performing managerial tasks (load times can still be a chore, though).

Virtua Racing

If hyper-realism isn't your thing, there are plenty of other fun alternatives. SEGA AM2's Virtua Racing was a pioneering 3D racing game, laying down the groundwork for Daytona USA and generations of other racing titles. The simplistic polygon graphics are charming and practical, but what makes the experience timeless is its smooth and addictive driving model, delivering fun arcade driving with a real sensation of speed. There have been several home ports for this one, but luckily you don't need to hunt down old SEGA hardware for this, as the game has been beautifully remastered for Switch as part of the SEGA Ages lineup. The Switch release features a pristine framerate and a range of modes including multiplayer. This one is always fun to play and makes for a fantastic time-burner in handheld mode.

Pole Position

Namco's 1982 arcade classic is iconic and timeless for all the right and deserving reasons. It was undeniably ahead of its time, hailing from a time when arcade prowess was light-years ahead of what home consoles could conceivably achieve. Pole Position is one of those games that's easy to jump back to time and again thanks to its smooth and addictive driving model, while also delivering a sensation of speed that feels unreal given the hardware limitations of the time. This game is all about chasing that high score in record time, and the chase keeps bringing you back for more. This one can easily be picked up on Switch as part of the immense Arcade Archives library of digital releases. Those willing to go the extra mile, however, will find the Atari 2600 port well worth checking out; it's an easy cartridge to find in the wild and it works great on the modern Atari 2600+ console. The Atari home conversion was one of the most impressive ports of its time, and still just as fun to play as its arcade counterpart.

Horizon Chase Turbo - Senna Forever

There's a good chance that you already have Horizon Chase Turbo installed on your smartphone. The free download version is the quintessential smartphone gaming experience, and while the game can be played on other platforms, it feels just perfect as a portable mobile gaming experience. It may be a paid DLC add-on (inexpensive, by the way) to the base game, but the Senna Forever campaign is well worth it as a fun F1 arcade experience and as a loving tribute to Ayrton Senna, one of the most legendary drivers to have ever lived. The three-time world champion's life tragically ended in an accident during a race at the 1994 Grand Prix. Senna Forever pays tribute to his lasting legacy via excellent gameplay modes, the most notable being the engaging career mode. The exclusive campaign also presents unique F1 race mechanics and systems not found in the base Horizon Chase Turbo game.

There are other F1 video games worth mentioning, but these would require plugging in legacy hardware (F1 Race on Game Boy is a personal favorite!). If you're just getting introduced to F1 and its video game subgenre, then these games are a good and convenient place to get started in the fandom.