Last year's well-received F1 2010 was Codemasters doing what Codemasters does best: unadulterated, realistic racing. It was a hard-nosed brute of a title, a world away from the fun but shallow DiRT 2 – its stablemate at the time.

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F1 2010 was an entirely different beast; tough, authentic and laser-focussed. It was ultimately the more satisfying of the two, requiring significant dedication to wring success from it. It wasn't without its foibles but the crew at Codemasters Birmingham had embraced and recreated the world of Formula 1 better than any developer previously.Enter F1 2011 . It'd take quite a cynic to be concerned the sequel to the BAFTA Award-winning F1 2010 would be poorer than its predecessor, and it's not. F1 2011 is more of a confident step forward than a giant leap, but it's an improvement nonetheless.The first order of business here has clearly been a spoonful of cement, because F1 2011 has hardened up significantly. F1 2010 was cruel on the uninitiated. F1 2011 is downright merciless.Returning fans of F1 2010 will note the changes to the handling, which are all for the better. Cars in F1 2011 feel far less twitchy; fixes to the suspension and aero models have obviously helped greatly. F1 2011's updated aero seems to better communicate weight (crucial considering the aerodynamic elements on an F1 car can produce as much as three times the car's weight in downforce) and the suspension tweaks have meant superior handling at slower speeds. The results are pleasing across the board. High speed handling feels more authentic, with a suitably heavy feel to cars travelling at extreme velocity, and low speed corners feel more manageable thanks to boosted mechanical grip.F1 2011 is a better reflection of the characteristics of a real F1 car than F1 2010, but that isn't what has made the game harder. In fact, the learning curve for this year's version is more accommodating than last year's. Because of this increased authenticity the cars arguably feel a little less unpredictable and are therefore easier to master. Improved feedback means you can better find and feel the limits of your car. It's something you'll notice when you really begin to attack the kerbs and discover you can snap your car out of a threatening slide if you catch the tail in time.What makes F1 2011 so ruthless, rather, is the opposition AI. There wasn't anything particularly faulty about the AI in F1 2010 but here in F1 2011 it's more adaptive and seems to better respond to your actions on track. They're aggressive, quick and they will catch you napping, but they won't attack at the expense of damaging their own vehicle.Above everything your approach to F1 2011 must be methodical. F1 is a complex motorsport and F1 2011 is a fittingly complex game. If you want to win here you need to be committed. Activate the game's full suite of driving aids and dial down the opponent difficulty to its lowest setting and, after getting to grips with the handling, you should be able to dominate. However, played how it ought to be played (with limited to no aids and more tenacious opposition) F1 2011 is a feral mustang that'll take more than a few lengthy sittings to tame. Even at medium difficulty the AI drivers will push you to the absolute limit.You need to learn every track – and there are 19 of them (including the new Buddh International Circuit in India) so it'll take a while. You need to know which corners you can take flat out and which ones you can't. Brake, or even feather the throttle for a moment, on a corner you should be relying on speed and downforce to get you around without slowing down and your rivals will chew you up. A dynamic driving line can be switched on to help here.Above all you need to become comfortable with the fact that, at least when the game begins, finishing in first is not a requirement, it's not expected and frankly it's just not possible. Players shouldn't really get their first wins in F1 2011 until they have a car with the capacity to get out in front and the skills to drive it consistently quick.