Should You Buy F1 Manager 22 or F1 22? Go With The Manager Sim For Deeper Strategy

If you‘re trying to decide between F1 Manager 22 and F1 22, it really comes down to one key question:

Do you want to virtually drive the cars at breakneck speeds yourself? Or make the big calls in the team garage that can make or break race day?

While both Formula 1 titles have their merits, based on gameplay differences and critical reception I believe F1 Manager 22 is the better choice for its deeper management simulation that immerses you in life as an F1 team principal.

Let‘s compare these two racing giants in more detail so you can decide which deserves the checkered flag for your hard-earned cash.

F1 22 Lets You Get Behind The Wheel

First up we have F1 22, the latest official Formula 1 game from industry veterans Codemasters and EA Sports. If you want to experience the visceral thrill of tearing around legendary F1 circuits at over 200 miles per hour, this game lets you live that fantasy.

F1 22 continues Codemasters‘ tradition of delivering a polished, authentic driving experience. With full FIA licensing, you get the chance to race as stars like Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen on all 22 calendar tracks using 2022‘s new car models.

Reviewers praised F1 22‘s refined driving mechanics and physics engine that convey the speed and grip of an F1 car. The visuals and damage effects make you feel closer than ever to the real on-track action.

In terms of game modes, beyond Grand Prix races you‘ve got a new ‘F1 Life‘ hub to show off collectible cars and fashion items, plus returning options like career mode and multiplayer.

So if you want to drive the insanely quick 2022 cars yourself, F1 22 is the officially licensed game that lets you live out your need for speed.

F1 Manager Puts You In The Team Principal Hot Seat

Meanwhile, F1 Manager 22 from veteran simulation developer Frontier flips the script. Instead of driving the cars, you‘re now calling the shots from the pit wall as team boss.

It‘s your job to handle essential off-track decisions about car upgrades, race strategy, driver contract negotiations and facility improvements. Then on race weekends you oversee intense strategic battles as you react to changing on-track developments.

Reviewers praised how authentically F1 Manager recreates the world of Formula 1 – with accurate data on real drivers, engineers and team personnel all captured. The broadcast presentation immerses you in the race weekend experience, supplemented by actual radio clips from past grands prix spotlighting key strategic calls.

Ultimately F1 Manager 22 scores big by putting armchair team principals right in the hot seat, delivering a truly engaging management sim that captures the unique pressures of Formula 1.

Key Gameplay Differences Between The Titles

While both games carry the prestigious F1 license, they provide very different gaming experiences:

F1 22 Gameplay

• Drive F1 cars firsthand around all 2022 circuit locations
• Experience extreme speed and handling of real F1 vehicles
• Race through career mode, grand prix events and multiplayer
• Additional content like customization options and ‘F1 Life‘ hub

F1 Manager Gameplay

• Take the role of team principal, making strategic decisions
• Manage car development, budgets, driver contracts and personnel
• Make tactical choices during practice, qualifying and race sessions
• Respond to changing on-track developments
• Post-race analysis and facility upgrades between grand prixs
• Manage F1, F2 and F3 teams through an authentic world

So F1 22 satisfies the need for speed with its visceral driving focus, while F1 Manager 22 transports armchair strategists into life behind the pit wall.

Which Game Is Right For You?

With clear gameplay differences identified, which title is going to give you the Formula 1 fix you crave? Here‘s some pointers:

For F1 22:

• You relish taking the wheel yourself at insane speeds, wheel-to-wheel action and technical driving lines. The team management side doesn‘t appeal much.

For F1 Manager 22:

• You‘re fascinated by the big strategy calls, leadership and quick-thinking needed as a team principal. Driving yourself doesn‘t matter as much.

Basically F1 22 caters best to players who value getting in the car above all else. F1 Manager 22 hits the mark for armchair tacticians who want to experience the intense split-second decisions faced by a real F1 outfit on race weekends.

As a seasoned racing gamer myself, I believe most fans will have more long-term fun with the deeper management simulation F1 Manager provides and award it my personal checkered flag 🏁

But driving purists can still get an authentic thrill from F1 22‘s polished on-track experience. Ultimately you need to weigh up each game‘s strengths against your own motorsport gaming priorities.

Ongoing Support For Both Franchises

Thankfully for fans of either series, F1 22 and the new F1 Manager franchise aren‘t going away anytime soon. Both are set to become staple annual releases:

• Codemasters have produced annual F1 games since 2009. So you can expect F1 23 to release in mid-2023 with updated teams, drivers and circuits from next season.

• Frontier also view F1 Manager as the start of a lucrative new yearly series. So anticipate F1 Manager 23 to launch around a similar timeframe next year too.

Formula 1‘s surging popularity bodes well for the continued success of both game franchises. Especially in the key American market, where the 2022 F1 viewership smashed previous records.

This rising fan interest should translate into healthy ongoing sales for both developers when their 2023 editions hit.

So whether you like to be in the cockpit or the garage, you‘ll get to enjoy steering your favorite F1 teams on new challenges next season.

Final Verdict: F1 Fans Can‘t Lose, But F1 Manager Takes The Flag

In closing, while F1 22 and F1 Manager 22 provide quite different experiences, fanalystics can find satisfaction in either game.

F1 22 delivers on immersing players in the driver‘s seat through polished visuals and handling. For pure wheel-to-wheel racing action, it‘s hard to beat.

However F1 Manager 22 secures the checkered flag in my view for its unprecedented authenticity recreating life inside an elite Formula 1 outfit. With acclaimed simulation-style gameplay, it keeps armchair tacticians absorbed for hours and deserves the stronger recommendation.

Yet whether you like screaming around corners or poring over trackside data screens, enjoy knowing you have quality F1 gaming experiences waiting for you year after year as both franchises continue releasing new versions annually.

Now‘s the time to stake your claim as an all-conquering team driver or principal – will you triumph in F1 22 or F1 Manager 22 when the lights go out? 🏎️