F1 25 aims to be the most up-to-date and accurate F1 racing simulator available when it launches, and to get the full breakdown on exactly why, we visited the Codemasters studio in Birmingham, England. During our visit, we were able to play the latest version of F1 25, in addition to getting a full breakdown of all the new features that the most experienced fans will want to know about.
Pro players will immediately notice adjustments that make the circuits more accurate than ever. Bahrain, Miami, Melbourne, Suzuka and Imola have all been updated with LIDAR-scanned tracks. LIDAR, which stands for "laser imaging, detection, and ranging," allows the tracks to be presented with true-to-life scale bends and corners. These tracks have also been scanned during Grand Prix race weekends, meaning that even specific barrier placements during those weekends are reflected in the game.
If you're a dedicated fan who's played F1 games for hundreds of hours, you will notice the difference, as senior creative director Lee Mather testifies.
"This got called out by a couple of people. I don't know how you refer to the section, the 'Mickey Mouse' section as it was known, in Miami, underneath the overpass," Mather explained. "Our version of it, originally built from the data we were supplied when they were building the track, was really quite tight. It is in real life, but the LIDAR version actually opens up a little bit more. That was probably the one that stood out most to me."
There are smaller adjustments too, like a more accurate track surface texture and vegetation updates to all LIDAR tracks. Trees look denser, bushier, and new species have been added to make each track much more realistic. You might not notice the difference until you tear around Suzuka and see the cherry blossom trees lining the horizon, exactly where they're located in real life. These seemingly small adjustments give each track a new atmosphere.
Three non-LIDAR tracks have been given a refresh as well. Silverstone, Austria, and Zandvoort are the first tracks in F1 history that players can race on in reverse. Reverse Tracks are a bit more complicated to develop than one might expect, but these tracks will give the most experienced players a brand new way to race on old classics.
Throw into the mix adjusted and unique engine noises, a new Decal Editor, Path Tracing on PC, new events in F1 World, 8K at launch on PS5 Pro, and more, and everything starts to come together. F1 25's updates and improvements are robust, and while they might seem minor on the surface, add them all together and the new game takes on a vibe of its own. LIDAR-scanned tracks are the biggest new feature, but it's all of the other new adjustments that change the vibe and make F1 25 feel like a truly new game.