Ah, F1 25. The virtual high-speed drama, the intricate strategies, the questionable decisions in the pit lane, and, at times, the bewildering behaviour of the virtual machinery under challenging conditions. Players who have braved the digital asphalt since the game`s launch have encountered the familiar thrills, but also a few frustrations, particularly when the skies open up or when their car seems to have an inexplicable beef with basic physics compared to the AI.
Enter Patch 1.06, the latest in a series of updates aimed at refining the F1 25 experience. Available now across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, this patch brings a focused approach to ironing out some of the more notable wrinkles, primarily addressing those tricky wet weather dynamics and a peculiar handling anomaly that had players scratching their helmets.
Taming the Rain: Gearbox and Grip Adjustments
One of the most significant points of contention for many players has been the car`s performance in wet conditions, particularly concerning the automatic gearbox. Reports indicated a tendency for vehicles to short-shift aggressively in higher gears during rain-soaked laps. This wasn`t just a minor annoyance; it demonstrably hampered player pace and made competing effectively against the AI, who seemingly weren`t afflicted by the same gearbox indecision, a rather unfair fight.
Patch 1.06 specifically targets this issue with adjustments to the automatic gearbox behaviour in the wet. The aim is to reduce this untimely short shifting, allowing players to maintain momentum and engage in a more balanced battle against the simulated grid when the clouds unleash their fury. This change alone should make wet races less about wrestling a reluctant gearbox and more about genuine car control and strategy.
Levelling the Playing Field: Addressing Underbody Friction
Beyond the aquatic challenges, another subtle but impactful issue has been the subject of player feedback and subsequent developer investigation: the effect of underbody scraping. While scraping is a reality of low-riding F1 cars, players discovered that their virtual machines seemed to suffer a disproportionate speed penalty from floor contact compared to the AI counterparts. Effectively, players were inadvertently running with a hidden handicap simply by driving realistically low.
The patch rectifies this by making minor adjustments to the front ride height simulation and floor friction levels. This change is designed to reduce the impact of underbody scraping on top speed, ensuring that player cars aren`t unfairly penalized relative to the AI. It`s a technical tweak, certainly, but one that contributes significantly to gameplay fairness and the overall sense of a level playing field.
Beyond Handling: Squashing Bugs and Refining Presentation
As with any significant update, 1.06 also bundles in a collection of fixes addressing various other aspects of the game. Stability improvements are always welcome, as are fixes to nagging career mode issues, such as preventing bizarre scenarios where teams could end up with too many drivers or players being left without a contract offer (a virtual nightmare!).
Graphical glitches, audio cues (including the engineer`s sometimes unhelpful advice, like mistaking a DRS problem for an engine issue – we`ve all been there), and UI elements have also seen attention. PC-specific updates include enhancements to AMD FSR technology and fixes for HDR monitor compatibility, addressing platform-specific quirks that impact visual fidelity.
While the wait continues for the much-anticipated first official driver rating update, the focus of Patch 1.06 is firmly on gameplay mechanics and stability. By tackling key areas like wet weather handling and car physics balance, the developers are clearly responding to community feedback, striving to make F1 25 a more predictable, fair, and ultimately, more enjoyable simulation of the pinnacle of motorsport. Now, perhaps those automatic gearbox settings won`t feel quite so much like rolling dice in a downpour.
Rupert Caldwell 
Tristan Blackwood