It wasn’t too long ago that Codemasters formally announced F1 2018. Now we’re getting our first look at the title in action, with a real F1 driver along for the ride.
Alfa Romeo Sauber’s Charles Leclerc is the pilot for the inaugural footage. In it, he takes his company car around the tight streets of Monaco, which you can watch below:
Monaco looks its stunning self, so we don’t really have much to talk about on that front. The yachts are docked, the sun is shining; yep, it’s Monaco alright. 20-year old Leclerc offers up his opinion:
“First of all, I was amazed at how realistic the scenery was. Being born in Monaco, I know the circuit very well. Well done for visualizing the track so nicely in the game. My favorite part is the last sector because there is a great rhythm to the drive there.”
The much-derided halo safety device is — quite literally — front and center for a good portion of the two-minute clip. Curiously, we never get to see it from the driver’s perspective. The camera flits in and out between a few options (just aft of the driver’s head, mid-nose, “bumper”, and a very dramatic front suspension setup), but we never see how much of an impression the halo makes on the first-person experience.
Then again, this is the first bit of footage. It shows off the track quite nicely, and the many angles that spectators can enjoy. The latter is especially useful, as F1 gears up for an even bigger year in esports.
It’s also great to have Leclerc walk us through a lap of Monaco’s notoriously difficult corners. He’s not out for a Sunday cruise, either; check out that hint of lock-up as he dives into Mirabeau.
F1 2018 lands on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC August 24. Stay tuned to GTPlanet for more info on the game leading up to release.
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