The best controller settings for F1 2021

The best controller settings for F1 2021

F1 2021

Unlike many other racing games, F1 2021 is rather controller-friendly. In our tutorial, we show you how to find the optimal settings for your gamepad!

Photo credit: Codemasters / Sony / Microsoft

If you play hardcore racing simulations such as Assetto Corsa Competizione or iRacing, driving with a proper wheel is pretty much mandatory. Codemasters’ F1 games, on the other hand, are designed to also appeal to more casual players who might not own a semi-professional racing rig. It is not uncommon to see good lap times from handheld device drivers. To make this experience in F1 2021 as pleasant as possible, only a few tweaks have to be applied. Watch our tutorial and learn how to do that!

If you want to see more F1 2021 guides, take a look at our hub.

Customise your controls, but be careful!

The first basic thing you have to adjust is the ERS (Energy Recovery System) Mode in the generic settings. If you choose “toggle”, you will have to switch the overtake button on and off again, as opposed to “hold” which only applies the ERS while you press the assigned button. Some players prefer to keep their hand on the button so that they don’t have to position their fingers twice, potentially causing a big mistake in the process.

After you’ve adjusted the setting to whatever you prefer, you can head back to the main screen and add a profile which means you can customise your controls the way you want to. F1’s standard button layout is very straight forward and especially if you’ve just picked up the game, it may be more beneficial to learn about in-game mechanics, such as the MFD (multi-function display), first before rebinding these controls. If you are used to controller settings from different games, this menu is the place where you can make helpful adjustments.

Adjusting steering calibration

After setting up your buttons, continue with the steering saturation as it is the easiest to adjust. Open the test menu and simulate a full turn left and a full turn right. If the steering numbers at both ends don’t match 100, you have to increase this option a bit. This is vital so you can access the full range of motion using the controller.

The same goes for the steering deadzone. Open the test menu again and flick your left joystick a bit. The value for steering should return to a neutral 0 if everything is set up correctly. Keep in mind that a worn-out controller might be a little inaccurate, though. To fix this you have to increase your steering deadzone. On newer devices you don’t have to tune that number up by a lot, but older ones might need some more help in that regard. This setting prevents your car from slightly turning to one side going full force on a straight for example.

These are just two of our tips from our video. For the full tutorial and even more details on the points discussed above, hit that play button and improve your experience in F1 2021 now!

Which aspect of F1 2021 should we cover in a tutorial next time? Tell us on Twitter at @overtake_gg or in the comments down below!