"Everything comes together" in F1 2019

Codemasters is releasing their Formula 1 game in a couple of weeks and at E3 2019 we caught up with game director Lee Mather to talk about F1 2019, including the early release window.

"That was always a key concern for us", explains Mather about releasing the game with the start of the F1 Season. "We've always wanted to release earlier because we feel it's a shame for players to watch the TV and see the sports on TV, and not be able to engage with that content straight away in the game."

One of the main aspects the team at Codemasters has improved on this year is the online multiplayer, which introduces League support.

"We've done so much with the multiplayer. We've now got League support in there. So you can create and run leagues in the game. You can search and find a league to suit how you want to play. Exactly what time you want to play. All that's then fed to the player through the calendar system. So you'll see when your races are. There's so many new things that all go together. And the Weekly Events are another great thing where you either have a scenario based event or will run a Weekly Grand Prix or Classic Grand Prix."

"You'll race - do practice on a Monday, say middle of the week. You'll earn Competition Points, then in the middle of the week you'll move into the qualifying window, and at the end of the week, when you've qualified, we'll matchmake you against other drivers in the weekend. Who also qualified and then you'll compete over the weekend to see who's the best in that group. And again you'll win Competition Points, which are spent on customisation. So it all comes together really nicely."

F1 2019 releases June 28 on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Check our complete interview with Lee Mather below, in which we also discuss day and night lighting, classic cars, and much more.