Codemasters teases three classic Formula 1 cars – the 1988 McLaren MP4/4, the 1992 Williams FW14B and the 2002 Ferrari F2002 – that will star in the upcoming ‘F1 2017’ videogame
Hopefully most of you, our dutiful audience, can empathise with this train of thought. Whenever I see a certain car, in pristine condition, from a certain period in time – be it a Lamborghini Countach, a Ferrari F40, the Lancia Stratos, or, God help me, the DeLorean DMC-12 – I instinctively emit a guttural noise that’s difficult to pronounce in English. It’s a sound that almost combines a mild sneeze with a growling stomach and the realisation that I’ve left the iron on. And while that’s embarrassing enough, unfortunately it gets even worse when I’m face-to-laptop screen with legendary motorsport machines. Watching the above trailer for the F1 2017 video game was difficult to do with any dignity in the crankandpiston.com office.
For starters, there’s the faint sound of a V10 Formula 1 engine being revved in the pit garage, all while detail shots of a 1988 McLaren MP4/4, a 1992 Williams FW14B and a 2002 Ferrari F2002 roll on-screen. Just three of the classic F1 machines from the last 30 years fans will be able to compete with in F1 2017, each of which will be incorporated – for the first time ever – into the game’s main Career mode:
“We are delighted to be announcing F1 2017 and re-introducing classic F1 cars back to the series” said Paul Jeal, Game Director here at Codemasters. “Classics were incredibly well received when we included them in F1 2013, and in F1 2017 they are back and better than ever.”
Codemasters are set to reveal more details about F1 2017, and more classics models to be included as part of the gameplay, in the upcoming weeks.
Apologies, but now I need to give my motorsport nerd the chance to breathe. For instance, did you know that each of these three machines helped break and F1 record during its competitive run. In 1988, Ayrton Senna – the season’s eventual champion – and Alain Prost won all but one of the 16 races that season with the MP4/4 and claimed all but one pole position, meaning its winning record of 93.8 percent is the highest in F1 history (narrowly squeaking last year’s Mercedes F1 W07 Hybrid which took 19 wins from 21, or 90.7 percent). In 1992 meanwhile, the Williams FW14B helped Nigel Mansell take nine wins – a season record – and secure the F1 Drivers’ Championship five rounds early, another new benchmark. Records that, aptly, Michael Schumacher would break in 2002 with the Ferrari F2002 when he took 10 wins and secured the championship six rounds early.
