The biggest event of this year’s F1 calendar? The Las Vegas Grand Prix may just be that, and whilst the glitz and glamour of the F1 scene has been there before, this time around it looks set to stay, upping the ante on anything and everything that has come before it.
In preparation of the F1 circuit rocking up and owning Vegas, the EA and Codemasters teams are treating the virtual F1 23 fans to some serious treats.
Free-to-play Weekend
First up is a Free to Play weekend for F1 23 on Xbox, PlayStation and PC, giving the opportunity for race fans to take in the Las Vegas GP just as their idols do the same. Taking place between November 16th-20th, you’ll be able to play F1 23 for free, gathering up double XP across the game modes included as you go.
Further, EA will host a star-studded event at the HyperX Arena Las Vegas. The event will witness worlds collide as big names from sports, gaming, and beyond, come together to kick off the FORMULA 1 LAS VEGAS GRAND PRIX 2023 weekend. You can tune in to that via the official Formula 1 Youtube channel on November 15th at 1pm PT to watch it.
The full list of athletes and talents taking part will be announced on November 13th on F1 23’s social media channels.
Danny Ric takes to the track
But there’s more and ahead of the race Daniel Ricciardo has shared his excitement, setting the scene in a new video covering his first look at the new US circuit. On November 17th, you will also get a sneak peek of how Max Verstappen is preparing for the new circuit as the three-time World Champion takes boxing superstar Anthony Joshua through the streets of Vegas in F1® 23.
“Las Vegas is an iconic venue which takes in one of the most famous stretches of tarmac in the world,” said Lee Mather, Senior Creative Director at Codemasters. “I’ve loved watching the team build such a wonderful virtual recreation of the vibrance and energy of the Strip. We have been honoured to bring this new circuit to F1 23 for players everywhere to enjoy ahead of the real-world Grand Prix, and we hope everyone has as much fun as Daniel Ricciardo when they take on Sin City in-game this week”.
Celebrations in F1 23 will start ahead of the weekend for those eager to race the boulevard. From November 14th through to 20th, the game will feature several in-game events. These include a new Las Vegas ‘Pro Challenge’ with Charles Leclerc† and an ‘F1 World’ Scenario Event with Lewis Hamilton.
Tons of in-game goodies
EA SPORTS will also offer a host of in-game items, developed in partnership with the Las Vegas Grand Prix, for free. To obtain these, just log in daily to the game from November 16th-18th and check your inbox. And finally, from November 20th right up to December 11th, players can experience the thrill of racing Ferrari’s recently revealed Golden Era car livery, paying homage to the first “golden era” of Formula 1 in America.
If you have a copy of F1 23 to hand, fire it up in the coming weeks. If you don’t, hit the digital store of your choosing and get fixed up. The Xbox Store has F1 23 available for play across Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. It’s also on PlayStation and PC.
Check out those videos below.
