F1 25's First Gameplay Trailer: LIDAR-scanned Circuits And Reverse Tracks Heavily Showcased

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F1 25.png
Images: EA Sports
Formula One fans, today is the day! The first official F1 25 gameplay is here, but it did not give serious sim racing fans of the series what they wanted, with no mention of the teased new physics. Instead, we got to see reverse tracks and new team radio lines, along with a mixture of racing scenarios, which added to the gameplay showcase aspect.

Hosted by F1 broadcaster Alex Jacques and half of the P1 Podcast, Matt Gallagher, the preview video shows how F1 25 and EA Sports aim to bring more realism and authenticity to a race weekend in their game, featuring new features such as LIDAR-scanned circuits, additional real team radio calls, and refreshed podium celebrations. In reality, these small changes are appreciated, but the overall physics and driving model is what the fans wanted to see improved. The LIDAR-scanned circuits are a significant step forward, however.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1917595411138699294

The commentary duo commentate on the three aforementioned reverse circuits: Silverstone, Zandvoort, and the Red Bull Ring. Whilst not the top of the list of new features, these new variants of the circuits will now be available in Grand Prix, Time Trial, Multiplayer, and Career modes.

LIDAR-scanned circuits​

The video takes a close look at four of the five updated circuits, all of which benefit from increased track accuracy made possible through LIDAR scanning. Bahrain, Miami, Melbourne, Suzuka, and Imola feature a range of enhancements, including accurate building placements, safety barriers, TV cameras, marshal posts, advertising boards, and fan zones.

The circuits have been scanned during live F1 race weekends, delivering supposed sub-centimetre accuracy to every bump and curve on the asphalt, allowing players to experience the most detailed circuits ever released in an F1 game. Time will tell if these circuits are a step in the right direction for the F1 series fan base.

Imola, F1 25.jpg


“Also, we've carefully selected the three reverse circuits to provide a unique and engaging experience for our players that feels polished, authentic, and fun. The process includes reworking DRS zones, retraining AI, recalibrating sector boundaries, repositioning the starting grid and pit lanes, and more, delivering new thrills and challenges.” - Gavin Cooper, Creative Director at Codemasters
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This year's F1 game will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC starting on May 30th for players who pre-order the digital-exclusive F1 25 Iconic Edition.

Have these new circuits and LIDAR data promises changed your opinion on F1 25? Let us know in the comments down below!
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Connor Minniss
Connor Minniss
Website Content Editor & Motorsport Photographer aiming to bring you the best of the best within the world of sim racing.

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Comments

Chatopex
Just like that opinion... absolutely no one asked for it, but here it is. Reverse Tracks!!!:thumbsdown:

Shoutout to Assetto Corsa + CM + RSS or VRC F1 Mods for setting the bar so high that F1 2025 feels like I’m racing the same game for 26 years....
 
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Trebor901
Codemasters have absolutely no excuse for these games being poor anymore. This will now be the only game they make as they have lost the WRC licence.
 
MJFox
EA: "ok guys, we need you to be as annoying as possible in this video"

Alex & Matt: "hold our beer!"
 
A
F1 25 is so obviously better than Assetto Corsa or rF2 or whatever, because I can't race reverse tracks in any of the latter ones. Even to just try them out.
 
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Large Style
Could only get through half the trailer then turned it off.

To me, one of the biggest draws by far for the F1 games is playing every week / other week when they're racing IRL so I can play the ultimate game of "let's pretend". So in that regard, when & why would like-minded players ever race on backward tracks? How is that supposed to be more appealing than providing the best version of the game from the actual sport?

From a purely racing standpoint reverse tracks is an interesting concept, maybe even very interesting, but it's the absolute opposite of a main draw for me, and I reckon most other players seeking realism and dare I say it simulation.

While '24 is (IMHO) the best iteration yet, there's still some improvements to be had with handling, FFB, AI (speed), dynamic strategies, the pit radio is abysmal, while VR is kinda functional but no triples support - yet they come out disregarding all of that just pushing reverse tracks instead (the LIDAR scans should be mandatory in an official & premium-priced title so I'm ignoring that hype).

I know this is just gameplay trailer 1, but that's my point - their questionable fan-ignoring content seems to be their primary focus, putting any actual gameplay improvements in the background, if there's any change there at all to show.

I know that the F1 games are commercially highly successful and their target demographic is likely sofa-bound controller-wielding youngsters, but that shouldn't stop EA from making a truly great and complete F1 game, one that we have yet to receive after a decade and a half of waiting for (aside from 2013 which was decent).
 
RiddleTime
It's nice to read they laserscanned some tracks during the gps, I wonder if they'll license the scans to other devs.
 
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S
Awesome that they have more detailed track physics and reverse tracks.

Reverse tracks basically doubles the amount of tracks as racing a track in reverse is basically a completely new track on it's own.

Some of my favorite tracks of all time are the reverse versions of the ISI rFactor 1 vanilla tracks.
 
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Mantas Jokubauskas
Spinelli said:
Awesome that they have more detailed track physics and reverse tracks.

Reverse tracks basically doubles the amount of tracks as racing a track in reverse is basically a completely new track on it's own.

Some of my favorite tracks of all time are the reverse versions of the ISI rFactor 1 vanilla tracks.
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Only 3 reverse tracks were confirmed to be done for F1 25 - and they were all showcased. Red Bull Ring, Silverstone and Zandvoort.
 
SharkVA
Alex Harkett said:
Great. Meanwhile us Rally fans get our game abandoned.
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Might be worth celebration depending on who gets the license. Imagine a serious sim dev is able to scoop it up and RBR finally gets a worthy successor on the driving/simulation front.
 
R
That's it! "new physics", like every year, "inverted circuits", "new story mode" and let's pay for a full game!!
Everything could come in a DLC, but... charging for a DLC in early access is a crime!!! The world has changed...
 
BorisK
After the news of EA/CM shutting down the WRC series, I've contemplated buying this soap opera series. The End. I hope CM guys will find a decent job independent of EA and others.
 
Rene / GRunner
OverTake
Premium
Daytona 25 - 2.4hr 2nd place GT3
SharkVA said:
Might be worth celebration depending on who gets the license. Imagine a serious sim dev is able to scoop it up and RBR finally gets a worthy successor on the driving/simulation front.
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I think there is a huge misunderstanding regarding how the official WRC game is made/concepted.
It is not just the developer/publisher deciding on it, it is also the license holder (mainly I would say).

Official games are rarely full on simulation, because that just limits the market way too much. So while I can understand the frustration that there isn´t a full on rally sim (as it would be cool), the direction it takes does not have a lot to do with which studio is doing it.

It makes sense for such game to be on the simcade side of things, as it is meant to introduce newcomers to the sport. So unless WRC all of the sudden wants a different approach or licenses two games, I wouldn´t expect that a developer change is giving you the sim you want.

Many said when Kylotonn finally looses the WRC license, Codemasters will bless us with the perfect sim. And I already said back then that people can´t even expect a CM Dirt entry ust with some WRC stuff, because the license also comes with limitation regarding what content should/can be in it etc.


While I agree that some bugs etc. in the different titles over the years had been awful, just hating the studios and wanting someone else to do it is just not really fair. Not like the teams sitting there had a meeting and someone asked "what do you want to do, a proper sim or a mix so that more people can play?"..it is dictated for them.
 
SharkVA
Rene / GRunner said:
I think there is a huge misunderstanding regarding how the official WRC game is made/concepted.
It is not just the developer/publisher deciding on it, it is also the license holder (mainly I would say).

Official games are rarely full on simulation, because that just limits the market way too much. So while I can understand the frustration that there isn´t a full on rally sim (as it would be cool), the direction it takes does not have a lot to do with which studio is doing it.

It makes sense for such game to be on the simcade side of things, as it is meant to introduce newcomers to the sport. So unless WRC all of the sudden wants a different approach or licenses two games, I wouldn´t expect that a developer change is giving you the sim you want.

Many said when Kylotonn finally looses the WRC license, Codemasters will bless us with the perfect sim. And I already said back then that people can´t even expect a CM Dirt entry ust with some WRC stuff, because the license also comes with limitation regarding what content should/can be in it etc.


While I agree that some bugs etc. in the different titles over the years had been awful, just hating the studios and wanting someone else to do it is just not really fair. Not like the teams sitting there had a meeting and someone asked "what do you want to do, a proper sim or a mix so that more people can play?"..it is dictated for them.
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All valid points and I play WRC on a relatively regular basis, not the type to blindly bash anything that's on the controller-approachable side of things, obviously makes sense to market and program to the largest group of players. Just being glass half-full as you can still make a sim playable for a wide audience with the use of assists and other settings while giving the driving an approach that at least makes sense from a simulation standpoint.

As fun as WRC can be, it is nearly identical to the equally fun DR1/2 games in the grip and point of rotation not always making sense, which could definitely be addressed and improved without compromising the fun and playability for those on the arcade-appreciating side of the spectrum.
 
Peter Kerényi
Chatopex said:
Just like that opinion... absolutely no one asked for it, but here it is. Reverse Tracks!!!:thumbsdown:

Shoutout to Assetto Corsa + CM + RSS or VRC F1 Mods for setting the bar so high that F1 2025 feels like I’m racing the same game for 26 years....
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For hotlapping, agreed, but good luck racing offline in AC.

//

Have these new circuits and LIDAR data promises changed your opinion on F1 25?
Changed my opinion in no way. I will wait for previews/reviews. Skipped F1 24 because of them. If the general consensus is that it's inferior to 23, I have no problems skipping this one too.
 
R
WRC... For those who debate for a week, here is the result, if it doesn't make a profit they will abandon, if F1 doesn't change and continues like this, it will be the next to have its coffin sealed, but the truth cannot be told, there are those who still defend this product.....
 
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Y
I can't afford to buy the same game reskinned every year. The only F1 I play is the split screen one, plays great. Saved a lot of money.
 

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