New Formula One games ready to race

Today Codemasters revealed details of the first two games that are to be released under the Formula 1 licence, with F1 2009 hitting the PSP and Wii this autumn, and F1 2010 following next year on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. Codemasters, which has significant experience in the racing genre with Dirt and the upcoming Fuel, promised that the games will have "the most authentic and thrilling experience possible."

F1 2009 will be the first F1 game to hit the Wii, and will also be the first F1 game to include the Singapore night race and enable players to get behind the wheel of current world champion Lewis Hamilton's McLaren car in full season modes and arcade challenges. Those worried about the difficulty of the game will be pleased to know there are several customisable driving aids available, and the game will also feature an implementation of the KERS (kinetic energy recovery system) technology, currently being used on some F1 cars. Both the Wii and PSP versions will feature multiplayer, with the Wii including a split-screen mode and cooperative races, though it is unclear what the latter will involve.

The 2010 versions of the game will include all of the features of F1 2009, but will up the graphics ante for the HD-capable 360, PS3, and PC. The game will use the EGO engine, which recently powered another Codemasters racer, GRID.