F1 Manager 2023 asks players to build a team, manage a budget, and win championships across a full season of Formula 1 racing. The game launched on Series X|S, PS4, PC, and PS5 in 2023, and it has been running for long enough to see how the formula holds up over time.
The core loop is simple: you pick a driver, set a strategy, and watch the race unfold. What separates F1 Manager 2023 from other sports management games is its depth of systems. There is a full roster of drivers, a deep financial model, and a career mode that lets you start from scratch and build a championship-winning team.
Trailer, via F1® Manager.
Managing the Money
Money is the engine of F1 Manager 2023. Every decision, from hiring a new driver to upgrading your car, runs through the budget. You have to balance spending on drivers, engineers, and sponsors while keeping the team competitive.
The system rewards patience. Buying a cheap driver early and developing them can pay off more than signing a big-name star who costs the team half its budget. The game tracks every transfer, every contract, and every salary cap breach, and it does not let you forget about it.
“The budget is the real star of F1 Manager 2023.”
That line sums up the game’s identity. It is less about driving skill and more about financial planning. The budget model is the backbone of the entire experience, and the game’s developers clearly built the rest of the package around making it matter.
The Career Mode
Career mode is where F1 Manager 2023 earns its keep. You start as a young driver or a small team and work your way up through the ranks. Each season brings new challenges, from contract negotiations to team politics.
The career mode is the longest-lasting part of the package. A full career spans multiple seasons, and the game keeps track of your progress, showing you how far you have come since the beginning. It is the kind of feature that makes returning to the game worthwhile, even after a long break between sessions.
The Driving Model
The driving model is not the star of F1 Manager 2023, but it is serviceable. Races feel tense, and the AI opponents push you to make decisions quickly. The handling is realistic enough that you can feel the weight of the car, especially on tight corners.
Races are short by design, which means you can fit in several in a sitting. That keeps the pacing brisk, even during long stretches of play.
Where It Falls Short
F1 Manager 2023 is not perfect. The presentation is solid but dated, and some menus feel clunky. The commentary is repetitive, and the audio feedback during races can grow thin after a few hours.
There is also a noticeable lack of variety in the AI opponents. Once you know what the computer does, you can often guess its next move. That takes some of the surprise out of late-race battles.
Ranking the Systems
Here is how the major systems stack up:
- The budget model — the strongest system in the game, rewarding careful planning and long-term thinking.
- Career mode — the deepest feature, giving players a sense of progression over time.
- The driving model — adequate, but not the reason to buy the game.
- Presentation — solid but showing its age, with dated graphics and menu design.
- Commentary — repetitive, with little variation in tone or content.
Final Word
F1 Manager 2023 is a solid, if unremarkable, entry in the genre. It does not reinvent the wheel, but it executes its systems well. The budget model is the standout feature, and the career mode gives players a reason to return.
If you are looking for a deep simulation of managing a Formula 1 team, this is the game to get. If you want a driving challenge, there are better options elsewhere.
F1 Manager 2023 scores 8 of 10.
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