EA SPORTS has presented the second installment of its F1 25 Deep Dive Series, offering an in-depth look at the authenticity and customization aspects of the game, plus much more.
It comes after features were previously covered for My Team, which is receiving its biggest overhaul since F1 2020, with added focus on overall team management, strategic decision-making, and the delicate balancing act of overseeing two drivers.
Now, fans have been provided with a first look at some of the new additions and improvements coming to customization options, circuits, AI, visuals, sound, and more, which we'll go over below.
Visual Authenticity
Thanks to Light Detection and Ranging scanning, the tracks in F1 won't only look better graphically, but they will also be more accurate. Meanwhile, Bahrain, Miami, Melbourne, Suzuka, and Imola have all been digitally scanned to offer a lifelike experience for players.
LIDAR has also helped make trees and foliage better match the environment around them, including the placement, size, and shape of their real-life counterparts, with new additions such as cherry blossom trees added to Suzuka for extra authenticity.
Elsewhere, improvements have been made to several other circuits in the game. These include track surface shader improvements to offer more pronounced tyre and lock-up marks, as well as physical changes based on real-world data.
Reverse Track Layout
For the first time in an official F1 game, players will be able to witness some of their favourite races in reverse.
That's right, players can experience Silverstone, Zandvoort, and the Red Bull Ring in a reverse track layout, which turns the cars around on the starting grid. In addition to AI-controlled drivers needing to be retrained, every detail in a typical Grand Prix race has been specifically adapted for racing in reverse. This will include subtle changes such as brake boards, start-lights, off-track cameras for replays, grid boxes, marshals, and flag-wavers.
This means players enter from the exit and will need to ensure they take extra care when merging onto the track after stopping.
Decal Editor
F1 25 will introduce a brand-new Decal Editor. Car customization will now start with a base pattern that players will be able to personalize with sponsor decals. Previously, sponsor placements were locked to a number of fixed positions on the car. In F1 25, however, decals will have a lot more freedom, allowing them to be moved, rotated, and resized, with extra design variants available to unlock throughout the game.
Driver numbers are also receiving a visual overhaul, with new fonts and colors allowing additional personality. Players will even be able to opt for a different style of number on different parts of their car.
Also making their debut in F1 25 are sponsor liveries, more detailed base patterns for cars built around the visual identity of the various fictional title sponsors in the game.
State-of-the-art Technologies
In addition to the lighting, shadow, and circuit improvements mentioned above, a PC-exclusive innovation called Path Tracing is also being introduced. Expanding on Ray Tracing technology and available as a new “Ultra Max” option in the graphics settings, light will now follow every bounced path, with shade, light, and colors dynamically shifting.
According to the EA Deep Dive, Path Tracing will offer the most realistic simulation of light on track that the game has ever delivered, if players have a PC capable of experiencing it, that is!
For those who aren’t on PC, it's added that tonemapping and light balancing improvements create a more dramatic effect across all weather types, with a better representation of different cloud coverage changes.
Other Changes
Those are just some of the many tweaks and additions being made for F1 25, but more are on the way, including:
- Invitationals collaborative mode: Special multiplayer events that open up throughout the F1 world. Once available, players can share access to the event with their friends and work together to complete the objective, earning rewards in the process.
- Upgraded audio experience: Qualifying now benefits from real-world driver dialogue over the radio, alongside drivers occasionally addressing race engineers. Additional audio sequences, including voice lines for pole positions, flags, and those from team principals.
- Handling Revisions: A number of changes have been made to how cars feel in F1 25, affecting controls, tyres, power unit, and aero.
- AI Enhancements: AI has been tuned to better reflect their overtaking capabilities with one another and when racing players. Other adjustments include AI being more likely to pull off defensive manoeuvres when protecting a position, as well as better tactical decision-making.
For more information and updates on F1 25, stay in the loop with us here on Racing Games.