The game was a launch title for the PlayStation 3 in Europe which was developed by SCEE Studio Liverpool and released on February 27th 2007 in North America, the first F1 game to be released there since 2003. This is also the last exclusive PlayStation platform first party Formula 1 title to released by Sony Computer Entertainment after losing the rights to the F1 brand to Codemasters in 2008. This release was the first and only time the F1 series has been released on the PlayStation 3 console up until the release of Formula One 2010, the first F1 title from Codemasters. The game is essentially an upgraded version of Formula One 06 released on the PlayStation 2 and PSP in Europe and Japan. Although it uses the same base game released on the previous generation of consoles, it is optimized to take full advantage of the more powerful PlayStation 3 hardware to improve the graphics, visual effects, car damage, driver A.I. and adding in SIXAXIS support. Although the game came out in early 2007, the driver roster was not updated to reflect the driver changes that took place in the 2006 season. An example of this is the Japanese Super Aguri driver Yuji Ide who lost his Super License which is required to compete in F1, was replaced after the first 4 races by Franck Montagny who was subsequently replaced by Sakon Yamamoto for the final 7 races. GameplayThe single-player Career mode starts the player out as an aspiring Formula 1 driver looking to get a permanent race seat by participating in a test session for one of three lower tier teams in the championship; Scuderia Torro Rosso, Midland F1 or Super Aguri. Once the player completes the test successfully they are given the test driver role at the team, this role will let you test out different setup options for the car during the practice sessions. Doing a good job setting up the car will promote you to an actual race seat as the second driver allowing you to take part in the races. As a driver the player will be set with goals set by the team which need to be accomplished in order to retain your racing seat as a full time driver at the team. The game features a wide range of driver aids and assists offering players of all skill levels to enjoy the Formula 1 racing experience and not feel completely overwhelmed by the game as well as offering difficulty settings for you to choose from. The assists range from a visible racing line that shows the optimum racing line to take on track and brake assist which automatically slows the car down when coming up to a corner. Features11 Teams 22 Drivers18 Race Tracks720p HD Native ResolutionSIXAXIS Motion SupportDriver Aids and AssistsInteractive Pit StopsSimulated Car DamageCustomizable Car SetupDynamic Weather and Lighting EffectsImproved Realistic A.I. System “Live Action Racing” Cut FeaturesEarly on in the development of the game it was announced that the game would feature safety cars for the first time since Formula One 99, released on the original PlayStation and PC back in 1999. However this turned out to not be the case and it was decided to remove the safety car feature from the game.One of the more interesting features which was first revealed at E3 2006 was the ability to connect a PSP to the PS3 console via Wi-Fi and use it as a rear wing mirror, which streams the live feed of the track to the PSP screen. This connectivity feature was cut from the final retail version of the game and to this day has not been implemented in any game released on the PS3.On launch the game did not have rumble support for the DualShock 3 controllers and racing steering wheel controllers, which took away from the immersion of the Formula 1 racing experience. This was later addressed by the developer and updated into the game via a patch update in early 2008. Gameplay ModesSingle Player ModeDescriptionQuick RaceLets you quickly start a single race immediately with any driver on any track without needing to setup the car or take part in qualifying. Time TrialThis mode is a series of lap time challenges set at each race track with a Gold, Silver and Bronze medal awarded to the player for completing the lap within the timeframe given for each medal. Achieving medals at each track unlocks bonus cars to use solely in the Time Trial mode. Grand Prix WeekendThis mode simulates a real life Grand Prix race weekend. First you will start off in practice to find the optimum setup for the car, next you will take part in qualifying to get the best race position on the grid and finally you start the actual Grand Prix race in the position you qualified earlier. World ChampionshipAllows you to race as one of the 22 drivers throughout the entire 2006 Formula 1 race calendar. CareerThis puts you in the shoes of an up and coming Formula 1 driver looking to make a name for himself. You will start out as a rookie test driver for a small team and eventually make your way up to a full race seat for one of the big established teams on the grid. MultiplayerModeDescriptionPlay Online The online multiplayer mode allows you to test your skill against other people and race with up to 11 players or a combination of both human players and A.I. controlled opponents, all racing together on one of 18 race tracks. Play LANAllows you to hook up the PlayStation 3 system to a Local Area Network and play against other people that are connected to your local network. Extras ModeDescriptionMenus & Game ModesThis contains information about the menu system and the game modes featured in the game. Learning Centre Learn everything there is to know about Formula 1 ranging from the teams & drivers to the car setup and much more. This section is divided into 5 parts. Part 1: Inside F1 - Contains information about the Formula 1 Season, Teams and Drivers, Circuits and the F1 Race Day.Part 2: Rules & Regulations - Contains information about the different Race Strategies and rules on the Flag system, Sportsmanlike Behavior and Penalties.Part 3: Race Like A Pro - Contains information on General Racing, Cornering, Overtaking, Driving Aids and other support.Part 4: Car Setup - Contains information on how to setup the handling balance, fuel load, tyres, optimize downforce and the brake settings.Part 5: The HUD - Contains information on what each on screen indicator means and how to customize the layout of the HUD to your liking.A-Z Glossary The glossary contains helpful information on the various Formula 1 related terms that are used throughout the game. F1TVModeDescription Replay ModeAllows you to watch any one of your previously saved replays. Spectator ModeAllows you to setup an A.I. run race and watch it unfold like you would a televised Formula 1 race. CommentaryThe race commentary in the game is provided by former Formula 1 racing driver Martin Brundle and racing journalist James Allen both of whom provided the race commentary for ITV F1 television coverage in the United Kingdom until 2008. The Teams, Cars & DriversTeamCarDriver #1Driver #2 2006 Grand Prix Race TracksTrackStatistics Bahrain Grand Prix - SakhirCircuit Length: 5.412 kmRace Laps: 57Race Distance: 308.238 kmGrand Prix Debut: 2004Lap Record: Michael Schumacher2006 Race Winner: Fernando Alonso Malaysian Grand Prix - SepangCircuit Length: 5.543 kmRace Laps: 56Race Distance: 310.408 km Grand Prix Debut: 1999Lap Record: Juan Pablo Montoya2006 Race Winner: Giancarlo Fisichella Australian Grand Prix - Albert Park Circuit Length: 5.303 kmRace Laps: 57Race Distance: 302.271 kmGrand Prix Debut: 1928Lap Record: Michael Schumacher 2006 Race Winner: Fernando Alonso San Marino Grand Prix - ImolaCircuit Length: 4.933 kmRace Laps: 62Race Distance: 305.609 kmGrand Prix Debut: 1981Lap Record: Michael Schumacher2006 Race Winner: Michael Schumacher European Grand Prix - NürburgringCircuit Length: 5.148 kmRace Laps: 60Race Distance: 308.880 kmGrand Prix Debut: 1983Lap Record: Michael Schumacher2006 Race Winner: Michael Schumacher Spanish Grand Prix - BarcelonaCircuit Length: 4.627 kmRace Laps: 66Race Distance: 305.382 kmGrand Prix Debut: 1913Lap Record: Giancarlo Fisichella2006 Race Winner: Fernando Alonso Monaco Grand Prix - Monte CarloCircuit Length: 3.340 kmRace Laps: 78Race Distance: 260.520 kmGrand Prix Debut: 1929Lap Record: Michael Schumacher2006 Race Winner: Fernando Alonso British Grand Prix - SilverstoneCircuit Length: 5.141 kmRace Laps: 60Race Distance: 308.355 kmGrand Prix Debut: 1926Lap Record: Michael Schumacher2006 Race Winner: Fernando Alonso Canadian Grand Prix - Circuit Gilles VilleneuveCircuit Length: 4.361 kmRace Laps: 70Race Distance: 305.270 kmGrand Prix Debut: 1961Lap Record: Rubens Barrichello2006 Race Winner: Fernando Alonso United States Grand Prix - IndianapolisCircuit Length: 4.192 kmRace Laps: 73Race Distance: 306.016 kmGrand Prix Debut: 1908Lap Record: Rubens Barrichello2006 Race Winner: Michael Schumacher French Grand Prix - Magny-CoursCircuit Length: 4.411 kmRace Laps: 70Race Distance: 308.770 kmGrand Prix Debut: 1906Lap Record: Michael Schumacher2006 Race Winner: Michael Schumacher German Grand Prix - Hockenheim Circuit Length: 4.574 kmRace Laps: 67Race Distance: 306.458 kmGrand Prix Debut: 1926Lap Record: Kimi Räikkönen 2006 Race Winner: Michael Schumacher Hungarian Grand Prix - BudapestCircuit Length: 4.381 kmRace Laps: 70Race Distance: 306.670 kmGrand Prix Debut: 1936Lap Record: Michael Schumacher2006 Race Winner: Jenson Button Turkish Grand Prix - Istanbul Circuit Length: 5.338 kmRace Laps: 58Race Distance: 309.720 kmGrand Prix Debut: 2005Lap Record: Juan Pablo Montoya2006 Race Winner: Felipe Massa Italian Grand Prix - MonzaCircuit Length: 5.793 kmRace Laps: 53Race Distance: 307.029 kmGrand Prix Debut: 1921Lap Record: Rubens Barrichello2006 Race Winner: Michael Schumacher Chinese Grand Prix - ShanghaiCircuit Length: 5.451 kmRace Laps: 56Race Distance: 305.066 kmGrand Prix Debut: 2004Lap Record: Michael Schumacher2006 Race Winner: Michael Schumacher Japanese Grand Prix - SuzukaCircuit Length: 5.807 kmRace Laps: 53Race Distance: 307.573 kmGrand Prix Debut: 1963Lap Record: Kimi Räikkönen2006 Race Winner: Fernando Alonso Brazilian Grand Prix - InterlagosCircuit Length: 4.309 kmRace Laps: 71Race Distance: 305.909 kmGrand Prix Debut: 1972Lap Record: Juan Pablo Montoya2006 Race Winner: Felipe Massa Jerez, Spain - Formula 1 Test TrackCircuit Length: 4.428 kmTo unlock the Jerez test track for use in Time Trial mode, you must first achieve a Gold medal in the Time Trial mode at each circuit. UnlockablesThe game features bonus unlockables awarded by winning the Career or World Championship mode and by achieving the target times in the Time Trial mode. The unlockables range from a number of different historic Formula 1 cars which can only be used in Time Trial mode and the Jerez test track used by the F1 teams. Jerez Test TrackTo unlock the Jerez test track for use in Time Trial mode, you must first achieve a Gold medal in the Time Trial mode on each of the 18 racing circuits. Historic Formula 1 CarsCarDriverHow to unlock1950 Alfa Romeo [#6] (Juan-Manuel Fangio) Win the Career mode or World Championship mode on any difficulty setting. 1960 Cooper T51 [#34] (Olivier Gendebien) Available right from the start. 1970 Lotus 49C [#3] (Jochen Rindt) Win any Quick Race on any difficulty setting. 1973 Lotus 72E [#2] (Ronnie Peterson) Available right from the start. 1978 Williams FW06 [#27] (Alan Jones) Get a bronze medal or better at every track in Time Trial mode. 1979 Renault RS01 [#15] (Jean-Pierre Jabouille) Available right from the start. 1996 Williams FW18 [#5] (Damon Hill) Get a silver medal or better at every track in Time Trial mode. DemoThe demo for the game was released on the PlayStation Network in late November 2006. The demo allows the player to race at one of the two following race tracks; the Italian Autodromo Nazionale Monza circuit and the well known American Indianapolis Motor Speedway race track, home of the annual Indy 500 race. The demo that was released in Europe differs from the rest of the world by offering two different race tracks which include; Circuit de Catalunya located in Spain and the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada.
