Beginner’s Guide#
Game Mode Overview#
F1 25 offers a variety of modes for different kinds of players
| Mode | Notes | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Career mode | Pick an existing driver, sign with a team, live through a full F1 season | Immersive racing |
| My Team | Create your own team — choose an engine, hire staff, manage sponsors and development | Players who like management |
| F1 World | The online hub — daily challenges, events, and online activities | Casual players |
| Time Trial | Single-lap sprints — chase the global leaderboards | Perfect-lap hunters |
| Grand Prix | Quick-start a race — full weekend or short race | Quick play |
| Multiplayer | Ranked / quick race / league systems — cross-platform supported | Online competition |
| Split-screen | Local two-player split-screen | Couch friends |
| Driving Academy | The official tutorial — from basics to advanced driving techniques | Everyone |
Getting Started#
On your first launch of F1 25, start with these steps
Step One: Complete the Driving Academy#
| Module | Content | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Basic driving | Acceleration, braking, steering — the fundamentals | 10 minutes |
| Advanced techniques | Trail braking, racing-line technique | 15 minutes |
| Track rules | Track limits, flags, penalty system | 10 minutes |
| Race strategy | Tyre management, pit windows, ERS usage | 15 minutes |
Step Two: Adjust Settings#
| Setting | Recommended | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| AI difficulty | 50-60 (beginner) / 70-80 (intermediate) / 90-100 (advanced) | Start at 50 and raise it gradually |
| Flashbacks | On | Rewind to correct mistakes |
| Braking assist | On or low | Beginners should keep it on, then remove |
| Steering assist | Off | Turn it off early to learn car control |
| Traction control | Medium | The balance between assist and performance |
| Automatic gearbox | On | Auto shifting, or manual later |
| ABS | On | Reduces lockups — turn off at advanced level |
| Racing line | Full | Shows braking points and the ideal line |
| Damage model | Reduced | Fewer failures for beginners |
| Formation lap | On | Warms tyres and builds atmosphere |
Step Three: Pick a Mode#
| Goal | Recommended mode |
|---|---|
| Quick race fix | Grand Prix |
| Manage a full season | Career mode |
| Run your own team | My Team |
| Race online | F1 World or Multiplayer |
| Learn tracks | Time Trial |
Controls Guide#
Gamepad vs Wheel#
| Aspect | Gamepad | Wheel |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Already owned | ¥2000-10000+ |
| Learning curve | Low — plug and play | High — setup and adaptation needed |
| Control precision | Medium — limited stick travel | High — 900 degrees of rotation |
| Force feedback | Yes (adaptive triggers) | Yes (full FFB) |
| Corner consistency | Low-medium | High |
| Immersion | Average | Extremely high |
| Recommendation | Best for beginners | Advanced players |
Recommended Gamepad Bindings#
| Action | PS5 pad | Xbox pad |
|---|---|---|
| Throttle | R2 | RT |
| Brake | L2 | LT |
| Shift up | R1 | RB |
| Shift down | L1 | LB |
| DRS | △ | Y |
| ERS overtake | □ | X |
| Look back | ○ | B |
| Flashback | ✕ + left stick | A + Left Stick |
| Menu | Options | Menu |
| Voice chat | Touchpad | View |
| Throttle trim | Right stick up/down | Right Stick Up/Down |
Recommended Wheel Settings#
| Parameter | Recommended value |
|---|---|
| Steering angle | 360 degrees (F1 specific) |
| FFB strength | 80-100 (personal preference) |
| FFB detail | 50 |
| FFB collision | 30 |
| FFB road | 60 |
| Soft lock | On |
| Center spring | Off |
Currency and Economy#
F1 25 uses several currencies
| Currency | Earned by | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| R&D points | Meeting race objectives and season goals | Developing car parts |
| Sponsor coins | Completing sponsor tasks | Hiring staff, upgrading facilities |
| XP | Races, events, challenges | Raising your F1 World level |
| Game coins | Purchase (microtransaction) | Cosmetics, liveries, gloves and helmets |
| Achievement points | Completing achievements | The Steam achievements system |
Note: PitCoin is the only currency bought with real money — everything that affects on-track performance can be earned in-game, with no extra payment
The Flashback System#
| Feature | Notes |
|---|---|
| How to trigger | Press the flashback key combo |
| What it does | Rewinds time to any earlier moment — re-drive that section |
| Limits | Can be set to limited or unlimited in settings |
| Effect on Time Trial | A flashback cancels your current lap — still better than a crash |
| Effect on races | Position is kept after a flashback — but you lose a few seconds |
| Advice | Beginners: unlimited; veterans: cap it at 5 for challenge |
Difficulty Recommendations#
| Skill level | AI difficulty | Assists | Flashbacks | Suggested mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Complete beginner | 40-50 | All on | Unlimited | Grand Prix |
| Some basics | 60-70 | Medium assists | Unlimited | Career mode (midfield team) |
| Intermediate | 75-85 | ABS + TC only | 10 | Career mode |
| Advanced | 85-95 | TC only | 5 | My Team |
| Expert | 95-100 | All off | Off | My Team + no flashbacks |
| Sim / realism | 110 (if available) | All off + full damage | Off | Full weekend + full rules |
FAQ#
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| F1 25 vs F1 24? | The new Dynamic Weather 2.0 system, AI 2.0, and all-2025-season data and tracks |
| Do I need the previous games? | Not at all — each entry is a standalone new season |
| High PC requirements? | Moderate — a GTX 1660 runs 1080p smoothly |
| Mod support? | Limited on PC — mainly liveries and database edits |
| Cross-play with friends? | Yes — PS5/Xbox/PC full cross-platform online |
| Chinese language? | Yes — complete Simplified Chinese interface and subtitles |
| Is a wheel worth it? | If you want to play seriously — absolutely |
FAQ#
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Which team should a beginner pick? | Williams — low ratings but big room to grow, great for learning race rhythm. McLaren — mid-tier, good practice |
| How many assists should I run? | All on at first — then switch them off progressively: ABS first, then traction control, then the rest |
| Fastest way to improve? | Time Trial — grind one track until every corner is perfect |
| Wheel or gamepad? | A wheel is faster and more precise — but a pad can reach 95% of lap time |
| F1 25 vs previous games for beginners? | The new F1 World mode, improved physics, and a more realistic tyre wear model |
Recommended Beginner Settings#
| Setting | Recommended value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| AI difficulty | 50-65 | Start at 50 — raise it as you start winning |
| Braking assist | High | Great for beginners — brakes automatically into corners |
| Traction control | Medium or full | Prevents wheelspin on corner exit |
| Gearbox | Automatic | Learn the racing line first — manual shifting later |
| Racing line | Full | Shows the ideal line and braking points |
| Flashbacks | Unlimited | Mistakes are free — very useful while practicing |
Beginner Technique Tips#
- Don’t stamp the brake in one go — brake progressively, releasing gradually as you turn in
- Get on the power early on exit — start feeding throttle from the apex, full throttle out of the corner
- Use the kerbs — well-judged kerb riding can gain 0.1-0.2 seconds per corner
- Practice routine — run 5 Time Trial laps before racing any new track
- Tyre management — don’t push flat-out every lap — preserving tyres beats one fast lap
Beginner Driving Fundamentals#
These basics are the first step toward consistent laps. Turn each into muscle memory before chasing advanced technique.
| Driving phase | Key point | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Starts | Manage revs and clutch (or automatic) | Wheelspin off the line and losing places |
| Straights | Full throttle as early as possible | Full throttle too early on exit causes wheelspin |
| Braking into corners | Trail brake — hard first, easing off | One big stomp locks the fronts |
| Mid-corner line | Late turn-in, early throttle | Big steering corrections mid-corner |
| Corner exit | Wait for the apex before power | Early throttle causes oversteer |
Beginner principle number one: “look further ahead”. Fix your eyes on the next braking point and steering and throttle inputs become natural — this applies to all racing.
Trail Braking Basics#
Trail braking means entering the corner still on the brakes, releasing gradually to help the car rotate, so it settles into the apex more stably.
| Stage | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Brake at full force at the end of the straight |
| 2 | Release the brake progressively approaching the apex |
| 3 | Keep about 20%-30% brake pressure through the corner |
| 4 | Full throttle out of the corner past the apex |
Modes In Depth#
Career Mode#
Career is F1 25’s flagship — pick a real driver, sign with a team, and live a full season of qualifying, sprints, and grands prix, plus contract negotiations and a reputation system.
| Phase | Content |
|---|---|
| Pre-season | Tryouts, media interviews, sponsor deals |
| In-season | Qualifying + sprint + race every weekend |
| Development | Car part upgrades raise performance |
| Transfers | Move to a stronger team at season’s end |
My Team Mode#
If you want to drive AND run the team, pick My Team — you’re both founder and driver, managing the engine supplier, staff, facilities, and sponsors.
| Management item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Engine supplier | Choose and sign an engine deal |
| Staff hiring | Engineers, designers, technicians |
| Facility upgrades | Faster development and better performance |
| Sponsors | Hit objectives to earn funding |
Beginner advice: run Career first to learn the tracks and race rhythm, then move to My Team for the management fun.
Tyres and Pit Stops Basics#
A grand prix isn’t just lap times — it’s tyre management and pit strategy. Understanding this takes you from “faster” to “smarter”.
| Tyre | Character | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Soft | Fastest, wears quickly | Qualifying, sprints |
| Medium | The balanced choice | Most race opening stints |
| Hard | Slower, durable | One-stoppers, long stints |
| Wet | Wet-weather only | Rain |
Pit strategy: most races work on a “one-stop” — start on softs, switch to mediums or hards when they wear out. Whether a second stop is needed depends on how much the track chews tyres and the weather.
Using Team Radio#
Watch the team radio during races — pit windows, tyre wear, rain, and rival strategies are all flagged by the system. Combine the calls with your own judgment and even beginners can make good strategy calls.
Every Setting Explained#
Assists Explained#
| Setting | What turning it off means |
|---|---|
| Braking assist | You find your own braking points |
| Steering assist | You hold your own line |
| Traction control | More wheelspin on corner exit |
| Gearbox | Manual is faster but more work |
| ABS | Front wheels lock more easily |
Progressive principle: turn off one setting at a time, adapt, then turn off the next — switching everything off at once will crush your confidence.
Camera Views#
| View | Character | Recommended for |
|---|---|---|
| Chase cam | Wide view, easy to start with | Beginners |
| Hood cam | Good sense of speed, decent view | Intermediate |
| Cockpit cam | Realistic, the limit | Experts |
FAQ, Continued#
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How long to get started? | After the Driving Academy you can race Grand Prix — expect 5-10 hours to find your feet |
| Which mode first? | Grand Prix to learn tracks, then Career for the full experience |
| Does Career progress carry over? | Saves record your performance per track — nothing carries between game generations |
| How do I improve fast? | Time Trial laps + comparing sector times against replays |
| Crashed? What now? | Use a Flashback to rewind to before the mistake |
| What is graining? | Tyres at their wear limit show grey shredding — pit for fresh tyres soon |
Gamepad vs Wheel: A Staged Recommendation#
If you haven’t decided on hardware, here’s advice by stage.
| Stage | Recommended gear | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Just starting | Gamepad | Low barrier, plug and play |
| Building fundamentals | Gamepad / entry-level wheel | A wheel brings real road feel |
| Chasing lap time | Mid-to-high-end wheel | Clear gains in precision and consistency |
A gamepad can absolutely reach expert level; a wheel is mostly about immersion and detail. Don’t let “you must use a wheel” scare you off.
The Beginner Progression Path#
| Stage | Goal | Suggested time |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Finish the tutorials, complete a Grand Prix | 5-10 hours |
| Week 2 | Learn trail braking, manage tyres | 10-20 hours |
| Week 3 | Take on harder AI, start Career | 20-30 hours |
| Long term | Learn setups, chase leaderboards | Ongoing |
The most important rule: don’t fear losing to the AI. Set the AI slightly faster than you and raise it every time you start winning — that’s the fastest way to improve.