EA Sports: F1 2001 (PS2)

F1 2001 comes into its own in several areas. Graphically it's the most impressive Formula One title to date and with a hint of motion blur on the onscreen visuals there's an almost tangible sense of speed. Weather effects are truly spectacular; rain in particular is horrific, restricting visibility to a frightening distance. Other truly great additions to the mix are interactive pit stops which allow the player to fully control vital tyre changes, and the addition of Gran Turismo-style driving challenges which help to develop a variety of racing skills. This testing section really helps when making the transition from quick race to full-on Grand Prix mode, even though it can be quite tricky to master.

Thankfully, EA have ditched full TV race commentary in favour of radio messages from the pit controller which not only add to the flavour of the game but don't have the infuriating repetitiveness of Murray Walker's ramblings in Sony's Formula One 2001 offering. Perhaps the most impressive inclusion in the game though is proper driver AI. Don't expect to see perfect driving from your opponents because it won't happen--and there's nothing like seeing Jenson Button pirouette past on a tight right-hander and disappear in a cloud of dust--marvellous stuff! --Chris Russell

The game however is let down by numerous gameplay deficiencies. It's too much of an arcade game - real F1 fans won't get a lot of enjoyment because the racing is unrealistic. It will only hold your attention for short periods. Those who want to feel the excitment of a real F1 race will be soundly disappointed. You won't find yourself in a situation whereby you are inching up on your opponent taking tenths of a second out per lap, or become involved in a hard-fought battle for position. It's all quickfire overtaking or losing position.

Another thing I don't understand is why hitting the wall doesn't hinder your progress. At Monaco you will get your fastest time by crashing your way through the streets of Monte Carlo rather than carefully navigating on the track.

I hate the replays. It appears as if the cars don't actually slow down at all for corners. The views are inadequate - I'd like to view the cars from television camera angles.

Collisions are also unrealistic - possibly one of the worst aspects of the game. Even with damage turned on they do not portray a real life F1 collision. Whether you ram a car or they ram you, you are instantly able to continue. You might push someone off the circuit at high speed - they'll be back within a few seconds. Impacts are soft, AI cars don't ever really spin out of control and it is impossible to get a chain collision.

Multiplayer modes are no good either - when playing two player, you can't view your car from the normal on car television camera - completely anyway. The head is chopped out of view!

Unlocking modes are no fun either - especially if you don't immediately have a memory pack!

Finally, there is no Murray Walker/ Martin Brundle commentary, Each car's engine sounds the same, framerate is average to slow for PS2 standard, simulation mode is IMPOSSIBLE and probably requires a steering wheel, the opposition spread is NOT in accordance with 2001 events (i.e. Jordans often outquailfy Ferraris) and despite my pit radio man telling me I have a mechanical failure I am always still able to continue - I have NEVER had a car failure.

In summary, visually impressive but in reality lacks gameplay.


Great game   August 22, 2002
It's the greatest F1 game (except for the 2002 version) But there are some glitches that you have to learn to live with. For example your opponents slow down at the strangest times and the the control of the car is to loose, they could learn something about the control of the cars from Formula one 2001. One of the greatest things in this game is the interactive pitstop option. Overall this is the greatest F1 game with season 2001 for playstation 2.


For a change, somebody can cut up Schumi!   January 28, 2002
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

This is a class game. It takes time to get used to the extreme amount of power behind you, especially if you've been playing it after GT3 or others. You go flying off the track so easily. The GT Force steering wheel is a must to really appreciate the game when you hit the gravel in Monza or take off in the chicane at Monte Carlo. The interactive pit stops are increadeble. The game is increadably accurate, it has even got the brick starting line at the A1-ring in the US. If you turn damage on you can drive a car with three wheels, two of which are just hanging on then watch your back spoiler fly off and feel your downforce go with it. The tests are easier than in GT3 and the rain is slightly less realistic but it still deserves its five stars.


EA Formula One 2001 is pretty good. Could of been better   January 21, 2002
6 out of 9 found this review helpful

EA Formula One 2001 is a pretty good game. I can't give it a higher rating because it lacks to many things that others seem to over look. I only race full race distances, using simulation mode. I've never had any kind of break down on the car, even when the pit crew says something failed it keeps going fine. Pit crew, calls out wrong information to you all the time. Like what car just broke a sector time, which couldn't of been since they just left the pits and there car wouldn't get a timed lap until there second lap. In the game there is NO fuel option what so ever, so during practice you can't practice your race, qualifing setups. Only time you get a fuel option is when your start a race, for when your pit stop is going to be. You don't know how the car handles with full fuel until the race. In practice it only has about 7 laps of fuel, in qualifing about 4 laps. There is no fuel gage to tell you your fuel is low, there is no way of knowing how much fuel you have at all. Another problem is practice, you practice alone?! What F1 league is this? Where are the other 21 cars at? (Other 23 cars for 2002, if Prost finds the money ) Very unrealistic, since you have no way of knowing what the other cars lap times are. You first see other cars in qualifing, and in the race. No other cars in Practice or Warm Up. Would be nice to practice your track driving with other cars, before you get to a race. Should make a time trail mode so you can practice alone, for as long as your want like VideoSystems F1 game for DreamCast. There are options to adjust your car, but again no fuel option at all. Also it always setups your car to the exact same setup at any track. Which is ok, you can adjust it but, there is no save feature to save your setup. So you end up having to write your settings for your car down on a piece of paper. Which is a major strike against it. Since when you play you car will only go up to about 173 mph. Until you start setting it up yourself. I liked in VideoSystems F1 game for DreamCast there would be a default setup for each track then you can make adjustments from there. Not the same setup at every track. So as a resault your car has no where near the performance that it should have. Another thing that really bugs me is the car turns from the center of the car, NOT the front wheels. Look closely at a replay and you'll see what I mean. If you have GT3, see how those cars turn, then watch EA's F1 2001 cars turn. Where are the intermidate tires? There are no stats of eny kind in the game at all. Not even for the track, telling you how long it is. Flag Marshals are also extremely quick to put yellow flags out, like your tire hits off the track for a half a second and they put out a yellow flag. Causing you to have to slow down to under 130 mph. Or risk getting a penalty. Your cars speed is written kind of small at the top right corner, when your doing simulation mode, shifting gears manually, it is difficult to look for the tiny numbers, and the flag color needs to be more visible. I would prefer to race with all the "Display" information off, but it is to hard to see flag marshals, some spots a yellow flag happens but you see no marshal. I have never been able to have a one stop race, it doesn't let me, or I can't make a three stop race, won't let me do that either. PS1 Version of EA F1 2000 had a cool strategy feature that you could adjust 1, 2 or 3 stops during a race. Would be nice to have a career mode, so you can make up your own driver and not have to use a real one.

Pro's:
Very cool in Car view, part I really love (Could be about 5 inches lower though)
Graphics are nice
Weather system is nice (Seems kind of strange at times)
Cars look like they should, with sponsors and eveything.
Have 2001 driver line-up (except for Alex Yoong, and Tomas Enges for some reason)
Con's:
Wrong imformation given during a race.
Never any mechincal failures even if it says you have one.
NO Fuel options at all (Thats a big part of the cars handling!)
Turning from the center of the car, not the front wheels.
Quick Yellow flags.
Practicing and Warm Ups alone!
Not being about to practice race distances longer then 7 laps.
No long replays (although at the beginning of a replay hit rewind and it will go back further then what it starts at sometimes several laps if your in practice)
Drivers head in replay mode doesn't move at all, but yet in the demo of the game his head will move when taking turns.


Beats Michael Schumacher and lifts the Championship Trophy!   January 5, 2002
John Savage (London, UK)
0 out of 2 found this review helpful

There are just not enough words in the english language that i can use to tell you how good this game is. It is amazing! If you are an F1 fanatic, just get this game.

It is the official thing, all of the latest drivers from the 2001 season, every track in stunning graphical detail, pit-radios which talk to you during the race about the goings on, challenges so that you can master the game and loads of options to choose from.

If you are debating between Sony's Formula 1 2001 and this game then read this:

Sony's F1 and EA's F1 (this game) line up on the grid. The lights go out and EA's F1 game drives off into the distance. Sony just about gets the engine going when suddenly, EA's game laps it. The race continues and EA's game finishes 2hours before Sony's game.

That little story basically sums up the difference between the two games. This one is much, much, much, much better than Sony's effort.

In 2 player mode, EA allows you to race against all 22 cars or just yourselves.
Sony only allows you to play against a poor 8 cars.

The graphics in Sony's dismal game are appalling compared with this game's.

EA Sports have really gone out and properly designed a decent F1 game. Long live EA Sports and keep producing these crackers of games.