New Video Dives Into F1 2018’s Career Mode

What makes F1 2018 different from the F1 games that have the branding of previous years on them? In F1 2018, how you present yourself to the media becomes just as important as your finishing lap times. How do you succeed in the game’s involved Career Mode?

The character you’re looking at above is Claire, a TV reporter you’ll be seeing a lot of between races in Career Mode. What you say to Claire gets posted all over the media and either helps or hinders your career path. Creating the right public persona is a key factor in succeeding. (And before you ask, you can’t date Claire — it’s not that type of game.)

So what kind of image should you go for? The answer varies. According to F1 2018’s game director Lee Mather, “Certain teams may like to see a driver who is a great sportsman: demure and calm in front of the press, even under high-pressure situations, while others may want a driver who is more of a showman who can create buzz.”

“The media are going to play a huge part in the player’s career,” says Mather. “It’s super important for a driver to not just be skilled on track. It’s all about being the complete package. The player is going to need to consider how their answers impact the morale of their team and also how other teams in the paddock perceive them.”

The below video is the first of four in-depth looks at F1 2018 from the development team at Codemasters. We’ll bring you the other three as they are released. F1 2018 will be out for Playstation 4, Xbox One and PC on August 24.