F1 2019

F1 2019 is yet another strong step forward for the now decade-long franchise, with a ton of refinements over last year's game as well as some great new features to help elevate it to a new level. The Formula 2 cars are superb to handle, and the new additions to career mode, like driver swaps, add some much-needed drama and excitement that real Formula 1 has been missing for some time now. F1 2019 is a masterclass in how to make an engaging and alluring racer, and once again stands tall on top of the podium.

I’m inclined to call F1 2019 the most complete version of Codemasters’ series to date. The Career Mode has some good ideas and the inclusion of the new classic cars and the F2 cars add a bit of variety to the series. If you pay for something, however, you shouldn’t need to wait to unlock it. The AI can be a killer and racing online will have you weeding through some jobbers until you gain some experience on the Super License.

As an avid F1 fan, I'm ecstatic. So much so, in fact, that halfway through this Sunday's woeful French Grand Prix, while struggling to stay awake, I cut my losses, switched off Sky Sports and switched on the PS4 for some proper action. Authentic? Honestly, F1 2019 is better than the real thing.

F1 2019 is the best release in the series so far, but the iterative design of the franchise combined with Codemasters' trademark care and attention for racing makes that perhaps unsurprising. It's bigger and better than those that have come before, with the addition of Formula 2 and a few additional tweaks making it a game purists will find as an essential upgrade to last year's F1 2018.