F1 23 looks to break gender norms with next stage of Braking Point 2 story

For the most part, Formula 1, like most sports, is a male-dominated scene. Today there is the W Series that aims to give women more motorsport opportunities, but this isn't on the same level of performance as that of F1 itself. Regardless of this being the case in the real world, Codemasters is looking to break gender norms and explore what happens when a talented W Series driver looks to make her debut in F1 in F1 23's Braking Point 2 story.

As revealed in a new blog post and deep dive video, this next chapter of the story will see fictional W Series and F2 champion Callie Meyer gunning for a seat on the fictional team of Konnersport Butler Racing Team, a team that currently employs rivals Devon Butler and Aiden Jackson as its drivers.

We're also told that this year's Braking Point will have more impactful decisions that affect your reputation and the performance and development of the car, and that these will unlock objectives that depending on whether you pass or fail them will have "a lasting impact on how a storyline plays out."

Otherwise, Braking Point will now earn Podium Pass XP as well as other rewards for completing the campaign. And, anyone who grabs the Champions Edition of the game will be able to use the Braking Point characters in the MyTeam mode.

To add to this, Codemasters talked a little about the new F1 World, which is a hub for all things multiplayer and online. It'll offer solo and multiplayer experiences, a shared progression system, daily, weekly, and seasonal content, a new Licence Level system, and more.

You'll also have a specific F1 World car here that you'll be able to customise and upgrade to improve its performance, with car parts and team members earned through contracts. A Tech Level will also determine how your car works on the track, with this affecting speed, handling, braking, efficiency, and more. Codemasters has said that all upgrades are unlocked via F1 World, but that "additional upgrades" are offered via the free and VIP tiers of the Podium Pass, which can be acquired more quickly through purchasing XP boosts. While we're promised that "there are no ways to purchase individual upgrades with real-world money", it's still difficult to not be a little concerned by this concept.

You can read more about all of these new additions in the blog post or in the new deep dive below.