Deep down, all petrol heads think that they might have what it takes to give Lewis Hamilton a run for his money if we were dropped into a car alongside the 7 times World Champion. The reality might be somewhat different but this fantasy is no doubt fuelled by the many F1 racing games which have been released for PC and across various consoles since the first F1 game was released by Sega in 1979 under the title of 'Monaco GP'.
Over the subsequent decades there have been various official and unofficial F1 racing games released of varying quality with the latest EA Sports titles providing the basis from which to build the ever growing esports movement. With each F1 now having its own esports line-up of sim drivers, F1 racing games have never been more integral to the sport than what they are now.
We therefore thought it would be a good time to review how we got to where we are now by asking our in-house F1 experts to rank what they consider to be the top 5 best F1 racing games of all time. These rankings are based on the impact that each of these F1 racing games had at the time of their release, how popular they were with fans and ultimately whether or not they are still fun to play today. Let's start off with one which celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2026.
1. Grand Prix 2
Designed by the legendary Geoff Crammond and released by Microprose in 1996, Grand Prix 2 was based on the 1994 Formula 1 season. Intended to run on DOS but also playable on Windows, Grand Prix 2 took F1 racing games to a whole new level with incredible graphics, advanced vehicle dynamics and a revolutionary crash and mechanical failure model which is still unmatched to this day. That owes much to the concerns of modern teams about damage removing important sponsors logos and mechanical failures reflecting badly on their technical partners.
Grand Prix 2 aimed to be as realistic as possible, giving fans the opportunity to complete full race weekends all the way from Friday Practice and Friday Qualifying to the Sunday Warm-up and a full race distance to round out the weekend. On the hardest difficulty levels, anyone hoping to qualify a Simtek in the top 15 was sure to have a rude awakening. However, there was still the option to enjoy the game at a very amateur level, with quick races and easy difficulty settings which made it possible for anyone to jump in and have some fun.
Remarkably, Grand Prix 2 still has a very active community of gamers who have created all manner of mods to bring the game up to an almost modern standard. Its continued popularity means that Microprose has recently announced its intention to re-release a modern version of the game on Steam at some point in 2026.
2. F1 2013
Codemasters are still considered by many to be the best motor racing video game developers in the world, with over 30 years of experience creating games ranging from Colin McRae Rally and Toca Touring Cars, to the official F1 titles. Codemasters was given the rights to create official F1 racing games for the first time in 2009 and has maintained the licence ever since, even after being bought out by EA Sports for $1.2 billion in 2021.
The first Codemasters F1 game in 2009 for the Nintendo Wii was clearly not aimed at hardcore sim-racers. It didn't appeal much to casual gamers either who preferred coating a circuit with banana skins on Mario Kart to using KERs for a limited power boost in F1. The subsequent Playstation title was much better and the games have almost always been at a very high standard ever since.
However, perhaps the best F1 racing game created by Codemasters was the 2013 edition. This was the first game to introduce classic cars, drivers and circuits that players could compete with in online races and special classic racing events in single player mode. From Nigel Mansell and his dominant 1992 Williams Renault FW14B and Michael Schumacher's first Ferrari F1 car from 1996, to the stunning black and gold Ayrton Senna Lotus Renault from 1986, this was the first game to give you the chance to experience the difference between these eras of car ranging from the brutish turbos in the 1980s to the more aerodynamically advanced cars of the late 1990s.
3. F1 2020
Codemasters didn't really come close to hitting those heights again until the 2020 iteration of the game. With 2020 marking the 70th anniversary of F1's first race in 1950, Codemaster were determined to make an impact and they did masterfully.
By this point the collection of classics available to play had expanded massively, incorporating slightly more nerdy favourites such as the 1991 Jordan Ford. Alongside this you could compete in the junior F2 championship and, for the first time in 2020, create your own team to compete against the 10 established squads. This required a degree of strategy, with players needing to manage the budget and research & development of their cars over a season.
A special Michael Schumacher edition of the game was available too, which gave players access to more of the German's classic cars including both of his championship winning Benetton cars from the 1990s and the Ferrari F2000 with which he sealed his first title for the scuderia in 2000.
Alongside these add-ons, the basic game was at its peak in 2020 too. The handling model was highly praised by experienced sim-racers while the ride array of different driver aids that were available made the game accessible to casual gamers competing with nothing more than a handheld controller.
4. F1 1997
If you are serious about gaming and want to take on the challenge of driving a car which is as close to the real thing as possible, then F1 1997 by Bizarre Creations is definitely not the game for you. However, it was the first F1 racing game to go mainstream with its easy controls, great graphics and faithful recreation of the usual F1 TV broadcast from the time with commentary from Murray Walker and Martin Brundle.
It's hard to pinpoint one element in particular which made F1 1997 so much more successful than its predecessor from 1995 or subsequent games, all of which just lacked the sense of fun which came with the 1997 iteration. In fact, the graphics for the 1998 game alongside the vehicle handling model were both arguably a downgrade over what was offered by F1 1997.
Perhaps another factor is how fondly the 1997 F1 season is still remembered by long time fans. While 1998 was mainly a two horse race between McLaren and Ferrari, the running order in 1997 varied massively from race to race thanks to the tyre war between GoodYear and newcomers Bridgestone who were mainly supplying the lower grid teams. This saw Damon Hill's Arrows go from being almost a non-qualifier at the season opening Australian Grand Prix to coming within a lap of winning the Hungarian Grand Prix in August. This sense of fun and unpredictability was beautifully captured by the game creators.
5. Assetto Corsa
While F1 1997 is a top tip for the casual gamer, those who are seeking a more realistic driving challenge would be far better opting for a game like Assetto Corsa. Although not actually based on F1, there have been numerous mods released in subsequent years by the dedicated fan base which has made it possible to drive cars from various different eras of the sport.
From the wingless bullet shaped racers of the 1960s to the modern day hybrid monsters and everything in between, the massive modding community has made it possible for players to immerse themselves in the era of their choice rather than being limited to a particular season as has been the case with the majority of officially licensed titles.
While there are plenty of official sim racing leagues where you can compete against other highly committed esports drivers, there are also single player modes available with varying difficulty levels to suit those looking for a casual gaming experience.
Make Your Experience Count
The team of Luxury Travel Specialists at Elegant Resorts are here to create tailor made holiday packages for clients, and that includes those who are interested in experiencing the thrill of motor racing in person.
When you book an F1 holiday with us, we'll get you the best seats in the house along with access to the famous Paddock Club where you'll be treated to exclusive pitlane walks, talks and appearances from F1 insiders, gourmet dining, an open bar and live entertainment made up of DJ sets, live music and on-site F1 simulators where you'll be able to take on the great and good of the paddock in the virtual world. Any prior experience you have from the latest F1 games will prove invaluable here as you strive to make an impression on F1 celebrities and decision makers.