F1 22 game driver ratings - are they fair? | Our first impressions…

2021 championship title rivals Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton have received the highest driver rating in this year's new official F1 game, F1 22.

F1 22 will be available on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4 and PC.

Like on F1 2021, each driver has a rating based on four criteria - experience, racecraft, awareness and pace.

These figures are used to create an overall rating in the game and fluctuate during your time playing the MyTeam career mode, where players can create their own F1 team alongside the existing 10 constructors. 

Verstappen and Hamilton have both been awarded the rating of 94, while Charles Leclerc is third in the overall rankings with 92.

Lando Norris and George Russell complete the top five with 90.

Fernando Alonso (89) is just ahead of Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas, both received 88.

Codemasters revealed that the ratings have been devised based on a new algorithm, based on the opinions of Sky Sports F1 commentators David Croft, Anthony Davidson and Alex Jacques. 

Here’s are the ratings in full:

The ratings stack up well in terms of the overall rating with Verstappen and Hamilton clearly F1’s top two drivers, with the rising stars of Leclerc, Norris and Russell just behind.

However, when you delve deeper - take Alonso’s racecraft rating for example - it’s harder to understand the logic behind them.

Time and time again, Alonso has demonstrated that he has arguably the best wheel-to-wheel racecraft on the grid but according to the ratings, he’s behind Lance Stroll?

There’s still room for improvement but they result in a lot of debate on social media, which is probably what Codemasters and EA want.

Our first impressions of F1 22

Crash.net journalist Connor McDonagh has played the full game on PlayStation 5.

The yearly release of Codemasters’ latest F1 video game is always an exciting time for fans. More so this year with EA’s increased involvement combined with the real-life sport’s regulation overhaul for this year.

Codemasters has focused on nailing the basics without introducing too many exciting new features. 

In terms of features, F1 Life is a nice addition and adds some personalisation to your experience - having your own character, garage and home area allow for a plethora of customisation and variation.

Codemasters have partnered with brands such as Puma, Sparco, and Beats to bring licensed clothing items to the game, meaning you can wear snazzy shirts, trainers, joggers, sunglasses, caps, and headphones.

Supercars have also been added, allowing players to drive various high-performance machines besides F1 cars. 

‘My Team’ returns for 2022, where you can create your own team, driver and car, making it 11 constructors on the grid. 

It remains the title’s best game mode, particularly with the introduction of new Icons such as Jacques Villeneuve, Mark Webber and Nico Hulkenberg alongside last year’s crop which included Michael Schumacher, Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna.

In terms of handling, while the cars have undergone significant changes in real life, the game isn’t as drastic.

The cars do have less downforce and are noticeably heavier in low-speed but the inherent feel remains similar to previous years' titles.

The general force feedback seems to have taken a step in the right direction, particularly with how the cars feel on track.

Track changes to Spain, Abu Dhabi and Australia are long overdue, while the all-new Miami circuit is a real challenge.

Like last year, F1 22 is an evolution, not a revolution, focusing on polishing the basics without adding anything too revolutionary.

F1 Life will appease some but not everyone, while F1 VR (virtual reality) is a neat addition for those who can afford it.

Overall, playing F1 22 has been a very fun experience without it being a significant upgrade on its predecessor.