F1 Manager 2023 makes the right calls with streamlined tactics and a new mode

polygon.com:

Even as a sports management simulation, even when the race was running at 16x speed, F1 Manager 2022’s events could be a pretty meaty affair. Depending on your level of involvement in your driver’s pace, tactics, even fuel and energy deployment, a grand prix by itself could come in at an hour or more. They’re about 90 minutes in real life.

So it’s not a surprise to me that F1 Manager 2023, coming July 31 from Frontier Developments, leans more into smaller experiences and some tactical streamlining. That’s not to say there are no enhancements to last year’s excellent, and deep, factory-to-track experience. There is still plenty to serve those who want a granular experience; it’s just they will find a new mode where taking that granular approach won’t take as long.

That new mode is Race Replay, which has two components: Starting Grid, a full-length Grand Prix that recreates the starting positions, tire choices, and track conditions of the real-life event; and Race Moments, which is an even smaller experienced focused on reaching a race objective in a shorter number of laps. Both are based on real-life events in the current Formula One season, and Frontier says they will be added to F1 Manager 2023 after every race.

In a hands-on preview, I started with Race Moments and took control of Aston Martin at this year’s rain-slicked Monaco Grand Prix, with 24 laps to go. The goal was to get Fernando Alonso to a first-place finish (he came in second IRL). Effectively, this moment is all about choosing when to pit Alonso for rain-worthy intermediate tires.

I biffed that decision; I’m still a newbie Formula One fan, and I admit that even basic concepts, like how to time the undercut (getting on better tires before a rival ahead of