The articlegameplay, story, development, reception
Gameplay
The player has the Ferrari F1-86 available to participate in the 1986 racing season. They have their own base camp at the Fiorano Circuit where the car can be fine-tuned and tested on the track. For example, they can test the aerodynamics in the wind tunnel or the engine in the lab and then adjust numerous parameters. However, it's up to the player to delve into the technical details or immediately switch to driving; or conversely, they can also set up automatic driving and focus solely on management.
The interface is icon-based and uses a pointer, even without a mouse. The date and time of 1986 are constantly displayed in the menus, and the races follow the scheduled calendar; time flows in both real time and accelerated time during automatic operations.
Reception
The Games Machine wrote: "The only similarity between Ferrari Formula One and Pole Position is that they are both racing games. Essentially, it's a pure simulation, so it probably won't appeal to arcade gamers, but simulation enthusiasts will enjoy it immensely. The game has faithfully recreated the atmosphere of Grand Prix racing, undoubtedly being the most realistic to date. Ferrari Formula One is a masterpiece that no Amiga owner should miss."
ACE wrote: "The perspective used throughout the game is very realistic: you really get the impression of racing around the circuit at full speed, with barely 20mm between the asphalt and the seat. The sound effects are also excellent and contribute to making it an engaging and extremely playable game, worthy of a place in any racing fan's collection."
