F1 Manager 24 is the latest iteration in the racing-strategy series, introducing a number of new features and improvements over previous titles. TheCreate A Team mode offers players customization options, which staff and driver management has also been improved. Players will take on the role of a Team Principal, trying to build and improve a competitive car along with the team’s facilities and marketing. Most important of all, however, are race results, and there are many factors which achieving success on the track depend upon, namely a good Race Strategy.
While improving and upgrading car parts will make the most difference in terms of the car’s overall positioning in the standings, there are still plenty of things players can do when it comes to race day itself. Before each race, players will be given several areas to check over and optimize before setting off down the road. Each area will need to bemanaged throughout the race, and various events can lead to an alteration in strategy, but it certainly helps to have an overall idea of when drivers will be pitting and which tyre sets they have available to them. This will avoid clashing pit stops where drivers have to queue behind one another on the same lap, as well as running out of fuel, which can lead to severe penalties and ruinous race results.
Pit Window And Tyre Compounds
The first thing to consider when it comes to Race Strategy is the combination of Tyre compounds to be used throughout the race. At least one Pit Stop will be mandatory, with players able to choose from Soft, Medium or Hard compound tyres, as well as Wet and Intermediate compoundsfor rainy conditions. Throughout the race, Tyres will wear away, with increased temperatures causing them to degrade at a faster rate. This can be managed in the driver’s Pace settings, with various options available from Attack to Conserve.
Each circuit will have its own demands on tyres, with some wearing away Soft compound tyres after as little as 10-12 laps, while on others they can last up to 25. The game will automatically provide several strategies for players to choose from, but they are not always fully optimized. Playing around with different tyre sets and Pit Window openings can shave off an extra few seconds of total race distance, but it is important toremain flexible and make adjustmentsif the events of the race demand it.
Weather, Safety Cars And Red Flags
The two main factors which are likely to significantly alter a race strategy arechanges in the weather or crashes. Weather reports will be provided at the start of each race, and can be predicted with better accuracy by upgrading the Weather Center. The Green intermediate tyres will generally cope with rain between 1.00mm and 4.00mm in depth, while anything more will require the blue ‘full wet’ tyres. It is usually better to come in as soon as possible once the rain has exceeded 1mm on track, since after this, lap times and race performance will be dramatically reduced. Failing to pit at the right time during a change of weather can be catastrophic and throw away good results, but similarly, a well-executed strategy can make up many positions.
In addition to weather changes, players will also have to deal with incidents during the racesuch as other drivers crashing. For minor incidents such as lock-ups or cars going wide, a temporary yellow flag may show in the sector where it occurred. Slightly more severe incidents will bring out a Virtual Safety Car, slowing all cars down and maintaining their on-track position. A full Safety Car will be deployed if several cars are involved in a severe crash, while Red Flags may be used if a crash has altered the barriers or blocked a part of the circuit. Any of these incidents can be a great time to make a pit stop if the car’s tyres are on anything less than 70% with more than 10 laps remaining. On some shorter circuits, it is also possible to take advantage of early Safety Cars to fit Hard tyres and run almost the full race distance with a free pit stop, but this is very rare. If a player-controlled car crashes, it can sometimes be repaired in a pit stop under the Car Parts menu, though if the damage is substantial, the car may be automatically Retired.
Car Set Up And Fuel Loads
The next important component in acing a race strategy is tohave the Car Set Up optimized. This can be done throughout practise sessions by increasingly refining the individual aspects of the car’s handling and balance. An optimized set up will improve the Driver’s Mentality, enabling them to perform at their highest level. Anything above 90% is usually good enough, since it will not always be possible to achieve a 100% satisfaction for both drivers in every single race.
Additionally, players can also strategize using Fuel Loads. Underfilling the car by one or two laps will make the drivers quicker for the opening few laps, while some fuel management and conservation may be required towards the end of the race. Leaving the fuel load as it is will also give players lots of freedom to decidewhen they can push the engineand when to manage fuel. While it doesn’t make as much of a difference as tyres, it can make up gaps up to a few tenths, particularly on longer circuits with lots of corners such as Spa or Silverstone.
Driver Options And ERS
The final strategic component for players to be aware of are the Driver Options. These will affect various aspects of the car such as the fuel and tyres. As previously mentioned, the driver can be told to push either the tyres or engine. Increased Attack on the tyres will cause them to degrade more quickly, but will significantly reduce lap times. It is best to use these more aggressive modes when chasing another car closely or trying to break or get into DRS range.
Along with tyres and fuel, players can also manage an electronic energy system (ERS) which will give drivers a significant boost for a short period of time. It is best to use this sparingly as a drained battery will slow the car andrequire charging to compensate, which costs double the time. Harvesting energy or using the Top-Up mode as best when following a slower car, since the deficit can often be made up in the DRS zones. Deploying ERS is a great way to make up ground on rival cars, as well as passing even faster cars at the right moments. Staying aware of the energy levels as well as the currently active mode is crucial to maintaining consistent pace throughout the length of a race.
