This second Motorsport Manager game gives F1 fans the chance to gain a new appreciation of their passion; here, you’re in charge of the whole racing team, rather than the actual racing.
Like Football Manager, that twist makes it a game about strategy, careful decision-making and building a sporting empire in your own image. That’s what makes these management games so compelling – every decision you make has repercussions for your finances, team performance and, well, whether or not you’ll get fired in the morning.
To start, you’ll want to check the market for new drivers, pop the hood on your cars to see where they can be improved and task your engineering team with building new parts to use further into the season. There are more nuanced human aspects to Motorsport Manager to consider too, in that your drivers must be kept happy and motivated enough to race at a consistently high standard. And not be tempted away to other teams with bigger chequebooks, of course.
And remember, you’re building a business as well. You’ll sign sponsors, negotiate contracts and think about how to improve your HQ’s infrastructure without breaking the bank. Go on a spending spree straight away without any forward planning and your career will be over before it has begun.
Once you’ve agonised over all the preparations, it’s race day. Here, you’re in charge of when and how to execute pitstops, which tyres to use and how to balance your car’s performance.
Again, very much like Football Manager, these tactical tweaks can turn a poor race around, and equally, ruin your race day. Silly as it sounds, you’ll find yourself rooting for those little coloured dots gliding about the track, hold your breath as they attempt to overtake and punch the air in triumph when they succeed. Or rather, if they succeed; that’s on you, boss.