Some of the major gameplay changes include a far more developed ’Be the Driver’ mode. Codemasters have expanded the paddock to include new areas, more media interaction and tried to replicate what a driver’s life is like from the professional side of things. 
It’s interesting because you’re working to not only keep your job as a driver but some of the things you say to the media can come back and bite you, again much like real life.
F1 2011 Multiplayer
In fact, you can, thanks to the new multiplayer mode, share the driving with a friend in the co-op career mode as teammates. The heat is on to perform the best and become the number one driver on the team giving you more attention and the ability to guide research and development for the team. It’s interesting because while it’s co-operative since you’re on the same team, it’s also competitive but more like friendly rivalry than outright.
You can also play some new modes if you want some quick racing action but haven’t the time to do a race weekend. These new modes include time trial and time attack. The first obviously looking for your faster lap against ghosts of laps set by your friends, other drivers and yourself, so you can continue to better your driving on certain tracks. The second uses some timed situations to try and get a medal (gold, silver, bronze) and each has a specific set of variables that must be overcome.
Finally, in regards to ways to play, you’ve got quick matches which offer four distinct options:
- Pole Position - Race for the pole with the fastest lap after 20 minutes willing
- Sprint - A single 3 lap race in dry weather with randomized starting positions
- Endurance - A 20% distance race with dynamic weather, random start and a pit stop.
- Online Grand Prix - One race of 7 laps with dynamic weather, 15 minute qualifying period and one pit stop.
There’s also the ability to create a custom grand prix as well.
The sad thing about all of the multiplayer is that split screen local, is just limited to random racing. There’s no split screen co-op Championship, Quick Matches and little variables. All you’re able to set is distance, difficulty, AI drivers (on/off) and weather. I suppose most of the quick matches can be handled with that but no pole position and no local Co-op Championship which is a major miss on their part. Sure, it’s fun to play online but it would be even cooler if you had your friend next to you while you were racing side-by-side for the team’s #1 spot and the championship, don’t you agree?
Really, though, that’s the only flaw in the whole multiplayer experience of F1 2011. Sure you can take real-life teammates and run a whole season but you can’t build your own team, from your own racers and go for the championship that way. Perhaps that’s something they’ll work on expanding in the next release: full on customizable, split screen championship mode with your player racers instead of real racers. Not that it makes all that much of a difference, but imagine if you will, online 24 driver, 12 team races where each team are a couple friends and all the stats are tracked for your specific driver.
