F1 Racing Simulation

{{Infobox video game

| title = F1 Racing Simulation

| image = F1 Racing Simulation Box art.jpg

| alt = Box Art

| developer = Ubi Studios

| publisher = Ubi Soft

| platforms = Microsoft Windows

| genre = Sport, sim racing

| modes = Single-player, multiplayer

| released = {{vgrelease|EU|1997|NA|March 18, 1998{{cite web | url=http://www.gamecenter.com/News/Item/0,3,0-1564,00.html | title=What's in Stores This Week | author=Gentry, Perry | date=March 13, 1998 | website=Gamecenter | publisher=CNET | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000817190753/http://www.gamecenter.com/News/Item/0,3,0-1564,00.html | archive-date=August 17, 2000 | url-status=dead | access-date=November 18, 2021}}}}

}}

F1 Racing Simulation is a racing simulation game, developed for Microsoft Windows by Ubi Soft in 1997.{{cite web | url=http://nfs.sports-gaming.com/f1racing.shtml | title=F1 Racing Release Info | website=NFS Sports}} The game is based on the 1996 Formula One World Championship, and is the first of the Racing Simulation games made by Ubisoft, being the predecessor to Racing Simulation 2, which was released in 1998.

Development

The game was showcased at E3 1997.{{cite web | url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ubi-soft-announces-atlanta-lineup/1100-2466449/ | title=Ubi Soft Announces Atlanta Lineup | author=Lee, Helen | date=May 28, 1997 | website=GameSpot | publisher=Fandom | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990221032814/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/97_05/28_ubi/index.html | archive-date=February 21, 1999 | url-status=live | access-date=July 24, 2022}}

Reception

{{Video game reviews

| align = left

| GR = 88%{{cite web | url=https://www.gamerankings.com/pc/197272-f1-racing-simulation/index.html | title=F1 Racing Simulation for PC | website=GameRankings | publisher=CBS Interactive | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190116095906/https://www.gamerankings.com/pc/197272-f1-racing-simulation/index.html | archive-date=January 16, 2019 | url-status=dead | access-date=November 18, 2021}}

| CNG = 9/10{{cite web | url=http://www.gamecenter.com/Reviews/Item/0,6,0-1627,00.html | title=F1 Racing Simulation | author=Mahood, Andy | date=April 9, 1998 | website=Gamecenter | publisher=CNET | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000816094806/http://www.gamecenter.com/Reviews/Item/0,6,0-1627,00.html | archive-date=August 16, 2000 | url-status=dead | access-date=November 17, 2021}}

| CGSP = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite web | url=http://www.cdmag.com/articles/010/075/f1_racing_review.html | title=F1 Racing Simulation | author=Bauman, Steve | date=February 13, 1998 | website=Computer Games Strategy Plus | publisher=Strategy Plus, Inc. | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030521164713/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/010/075/f1_racing_review.html | archive-date=May 21, 2003 | url-status=dead | access-date=January 15, 2019}}

| CGW = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite magazine | url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_168.pdf | title=Number 1 in F1 (F1 Racing Simulation Review) | author=Goble, Gord | magazine=Computer Gaming World | publisher=Ziff Davis | issue=168 | date=July 1998 | pages=164–65 | access-date=January 15, 2019}}

| Edge = 7/10{{cite magazine | url=https://retrocdn.net/images/4/45/Edge_UK_053.pdf | title=F1 Racing Simulation | author=Edge staff | magazine=Edge | publisher=Future Publishing | issue=53 | date=Christmas 1997 | page=110 | access-date=November 18, 2021}}

| GI = 6.5/10{{cite magazine | title=F1 Racing Simulation | author=Bergren, Paul | magazine=Game Informer | publisher=FuncoLand | issue=61 | date=May 1998}}

| GameRev = A−{{cite web | url=https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/33131-thank-god-it-aint-pod-review | title=F1 Racing Simulation Review | author=Anderson, Tom | date=March 1998 | website=GameRevolution | publisher=CraveOnline | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040222044628/http://www.game-revolution.com/games/pc/sports/f1_racing.htm | archive-date=February 22, 2004 | url-status=live | access-date=January 15, 2019}}

| GSpot = 9/10{{cite web | url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/f1-racing-simulation-review/1900-2535904/ | title=F1 Racing Simulation Review [date mislabeled as "March 1, 2000"] | author=Kaiafas, Tasos | date=May 14, 1998 | website=GameSpot | publisher=Fandom | access-date=January 15, 2019}}

| NGen = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_39/page/n115/mode/2up | title=F1 Racing Simulation | magazine=Next Generation | publisher=Imagine Media | issue=39 | date=March 1998 | pages=113, 117 | access-date=November 17, 2021}}

| PCGUS = 90%{{cite magazine | url=http://www.pcgamer.com/reviews/415.html | title=F1 Racing Simulation | author=McDonald, T. Liam | magazine=PC Gamer | publisher=Imagine Media | volume=5 | issue=5 | date=May 1998 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000312055253/http://www.pcgamer.com/reviews/415.html | archive-date=March 12, 2000 | url-status=dead | access-date=January 15, 2019}}

| PCZone = 93%{{cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/details/PC_Zone_59_January_1998/page/n97/mode/2up | title=F1 Racing Simulation | author=Presley, Paul | magazine=PC Zone | publisher=Dennis Publishing | issue=59 | date=January 1998 | pages=98–99 | access-date=November 17, 2021}}

}}

The game received "favorable" reviews, two points shy of universal acclaim, according to the review aggregation website GameRankings. Computer Games Strategy Plus gave it universal acclaim, over a month before the game was released Stateside. GameSpot wrote that F1 Racing Simulation is an extremely well made simulation racing game. Next Generation noted that the game only had the license for 1996 season, drivers and tracks in comparison to Formula 1 Championship Edition, but praised the graphics and gameplay elements.

The game was a finalist for Computer Gaming World{{'}}s 1998 "Best Driving" award, and for GameSpot{{'}}s 1998 "Driving Game of the Year" award, both of which ultimately went to Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit.{{cite web | url=http://gamespot.com/features/awards1998/genre3.html | title=The Best & Worst of 1998 (Driving Game of the Year - Nominees) | author=GameSpot staff | year=1999 | website=GameSpot | publisher=Ziff Davis | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001001015345/http://gamespot.com/features/awards1998/genre3.html | archive-date=October 1, 2000 | url-status=dead | access-date=November 18, 2021}}{{cite magazine | url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_177.pdf | title=Computer Gaming World's 1999 Premier Awards (Best Driving) | author=CGW staff | magazine=Computer Gaming World | publisher=Ziff Davis | issue=177 | date=April 1999 | page=100 | access-date=January 15, 2019}} PC Gamer US likewise nominated the game as the best racing game of 1998, although it lost to Motocross Madness.{{cite magazine | title=The Fifth Annual PC Gamer Awards | author=PC Gamer staff | magazine=PC Gamer | publisher=Future US | volume=6 | issue=3 | date=March 1999 | pages=64, 67, 70–73, 76–78, 84, 86–87}} The game was also nominated for Best Racing Game at the 1998 CNET Gamecenter Awards, which went to Grand Prix Legends.{{cite web | url=http://www.gamecenter.com/Features/Exclusives/Awards98/ss08.html | title=The CNET Gamecenter.com Awards for 1998! (Racing Nominees) | author=Gamecenter staff | date=January 29, 1999 | website=Gamecenter | publisher=CNET | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000815225750/http://www.gamecenter.com/Features/Exclusives/Awards98/ss08.html | archive-date=August 15, 2000 | url-status=dead | access-date=November 18, 2021}}

The game received a "Gold" award from the Verband der Unterhaltungssoftware Deutschland (VUD) in August 1998,{{cite web | url=http://www.vud.de/infopres/cebit98.htm | title=Uhr TCM Hannover – ein glänzender Event auf der CebitHome | language=de | date=August 26, 1998 | website=Verband der Unterhaltungssoftware Deutschland | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000713050154/http://www.vud.de/infopres/cebit98.htm | archive-date=July 13, 2000 | url-status=dead}} for sales of at least 100,000 units across Germany, Austria and Switzerland.{{cite magazine | url=https://www.gamepro.de/artikel/vud-gold-awards-2003,1290773.html | title=VUD-Gold-Awards 2003 | language=de | author=Horn, Andre | date=January 14, 2004 | magazine=GamePro Germany | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180718145345/https://www.gamepro.de/artikel/vud-gold-awards-2003,1290773.html | archive-date=July 18, 2018 | url-status=live}} The game was a commercial failure in the U.S., with sales of 12,570 units by April 1999. Discussing this performance, Ubisoft's Tammy Schachter argued that "the install base of 3D cards was not in place for mass-market sales" when the game launched. She also cited the relative unpopularity of the Formula 1 sport in the U.S.{{cite web | url=http://gamecenter.com/Features/Exclusives/Notbought/ss06.html | title=The Top 10 Games That No One Bought (Page 5) | author=Saltzman, Marc | date=June 4, 1999 | website=Gamecenter | publisher=CNET | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000611141727/http://gamecenter.com/Features/Exclusives/Notbought/ss06.html | archive-date=June 11, 2000 | url-status=dead | access-date=November 17, 2021}}