As a seasoned Formula 1 tragic, I greeted Formula Legends with the kind of giddy anticipation usually reserved for the threat of rain on race day. It promised a nostalgic drive through F1’s greatest eras, packed with cheeky nods to iconic drivers, legendary cars, and iconic circuits — even if not officially licensed. But while there are sparks of pure F1-loving joy, Formula Legends sometimes found itself beached in the gravel trap.
It’s light’s out and away we go!
Formula Legends might not be an Official Formula 1 Licensed Product, but it serves a feast for devotees of the sport. Right from the start, it bombards you with F1 easter eggs — drivers, teams, tracks, you name it. One moment, you’re Alan Proust driving for WillWin Racing. The next, Byron Renna is breathing down your neck. The liveries? Unmistakably familiar. I couldn’t help laugh when “any resemblance to real names is purely coincidental” flashed on screen. Honestly, developers 3D Clouds and Liberty Media’s legal team would have a tough time playing spot-the-difference.
Story-mode takes you on a historic journey, racing through iconic eras from the 60s to modern day. The circuit layouts evolve with history, too — rumble strips, Tecpro barriers, and chicanes appear as the decades roll by. Nice touch.
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There’s more for F1 diehards to appreciate — tyre choices, ERS, DR…I mean WRS, and slipstreaming are all on offer. Fuel management pops up in era-appropriate races, and pitstops include minigame that adds a dash of timing drama. The weather is also variable and can change mid-race, keeping you on your toes as track conditions shift.
Formula Legends does a solid job with tyre wear — the difference between fresh and worn rubber is palpable. The damage model is simple yet effective, with collisions impacting performance, but without ripping your wheels off.
All of this culminates in a lot of tactical depth. It also gives Formula Legends an authentic edge — and serves up a genuine taste of what makes real F1 so addictive.
A feast for the eyes (and the ears)
Visually, Formula Legends mostly delivers (there’s a few bumps, but more on that later). The cars are cheerful, cartoony mini-replicas of the real deal, and they zip through soft, stylised scenery. Racing in the wet deserves a shoutout — Unreal Engine 5 brings glistening tarmac and a ‘wet screen’ effect that really sells the atmosphere.
However, the real MVP is the audio. Calling it ‘authentic’ doesn’t quite cut it. The V10s and V12s roar with such crisp fidelity that I was instantly transported back to childhood weekends at Albert Park. Hearing those wails echo through the Monaco tunnel — sorry, Riviera Streets — is nostalgia in its purest form.
The game also packs a fully-featured photo mode, letting you freeze the action mid-race. You’ll get full control — camera angles, zoom, focus, filters — the works. It’s a treat for anyone who loves capturing their favourite racing moments.
Steering through the frustration
I don’t want to slam Formula Legends for lacking “front-end feel,” but honestly, some feel — any feel — would have been welcome. I didn’t expect a racing sim. However, the driving physics — especially in the early era cars — feels what I imagine wrestling a school bus through Eau Rouge would be like. Understeer is an understatement; pre-emptive steering is a necessity.
On tracks with long, flowing corners, the driving is manageable. But street circuits are a different beast — mistakes get punished hard, and early races nearly had me crying into my controller. Thankfully, the cars feel livelier in the wet — lighter, more responsive, right up until you inevitably bin it.
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I tried two control options: game controller and keyboard-and-mouse. The latter felt more authentically arcade-like and far less frustrating — the handling’s sluggish but committed style actually suits keyboard inputs.
However, whether you use controller or keyboard-and-mouse, just stick with it. Learn to work with the understeer, pick your turn-in points, focus on taking proper racing lines, and the game will reward you — big time. It took a while, but once I found my rhythm, I started having proper fun.
The battle for a fair (and fun) fight
Driving aside, it is the racing itself where Formula Legends really spins its wheels. The jump between difficulties is jarring — the balancing feels off. I’d often find myself either cruising ahead or hopelessly trailing, stuck in no-man’s land with no-one to race. The AI’s pace swings wildly between circuits, too — blisteringly on street circuits (where us mere mortals can’t keep it out of the wall) but oddly cautious elsewhere. Once you pick a difficulty, you’re locked in for that series.
If you do find yourself in a battle, the AI’s racecraft is… creative. Blue flags are entirely ignored, and pulling off a clean overtake requires a Ricciardo-worthy dose of being last-of-the-late-brakers. In a real F1 weekend, these AI drivers would be summoned to the stewards constantly for unsportsmanlike antics. With no split-screen or online multiplayer, you’re stuck with the AI, and frustration can build fast.
The AI mix things up on the strategy front at least. Their pit timing varies, so you’ll get chances to undercut. Or overcut, if you are daring (beware of the dreaded performance cliff!).
Once you learn the AI’s patterns and brace for their unpredictable moves, you will no doubt find moments to enjoy as you tactically work your way through the field.
(Tech) trouble at turn 1
No good race is complete without a few prangs, and Formula Legends is no exception. Except here, it’s technical hiccups barrelling up the inside at Turn 1 and taking out the lead driver. The graphics, while lovely at first, consistently disintegrated mid-race. The polygon count drops so hard, you’d swear you’d landed back in 1991’s Formula One Grand Prix. Audio isn’t immune — engine noises occasionally vanishes, and after a win, the podium shows you finishing “1nd”, not “1st”.
These are merely a sample of the issues I ran into. They didn’t ruin the game, but they did break the immersion that makes Formula Legends so enjoyable. Most issues felt like easy fixes that suggest the game could’ve benefited from a few more weeks of polish.
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Thoughts on the final lap
Formula Legends is a genuine celebration of F1 — it captures the spirit of the sport and plunges you deep into nostalgia, official license or not.
Is it perfect? Far from it. The driving physics are vague, the AI needs a tune-up, and plagued with technical gremlins. But through all the ups and downs, I still found myself grinning for most of the ride.
For fans chasing nostalgia and a fresh, yet old-school spin on their favourite sport, Formula Legends delivers a rewarding experience. It may not be a title contender, but it certainly earns its spot on the grid. Think of it as the Williams (or WillWin) Racing of the F1 gaming paddock — unlikely to win, but impossible not to root for.
Quest Daily scores Formula Legends:
7/10
Formula Legends is out now on PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One/Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam and retails for around $30 AUD.
A review copy of Formula Legends was supplied to Quest Daily for the purpose of this review.
