F1 2018 Game: Classic Cars List

(Photo Credit: Codemasters)

F1 2017 saw the return of the hugely popular classic cars that debuted in the game back in 2013, this time with the cars being integrated as part of the career mode system. F1 2018 sees classic cars feature once again, featuring eight exciting new machines as well as the return of the 2017 classics. Here is each classic car in detail.

Brawn BGP-001 (2009)

Perhaps the most sought after car to be included in the F1 game, the Brawn BGP001 was the car that made history and carried Jenson Button and the Brawn team to a world title double in 2009, from the ashes of the Honda project. Button won six out of the first seven races, including Monaco, and teammate Rubens Barrichello won twice in Valencia and Monza, the latter his final career victory in F1. It was a fairy tale story, and now it's a fairytale for F1 game fans as the car is in the latest iteration of the official F1 game.

Williams FW25 (2003)

Victories have been slim pickings for Williams since the late 1990’s, titles non existent. The last Williams to achieve a feat was the 2003 FW25. It carried the title hopes of Juan-Pablo Montoya, who took two victories that year and fought hard for the title, as teammate Ralf Schumacher also took two wins. Schumacher junior though, couldn’t quite match his teammates consistency, Montoya taking nine podiums to Schumacher’s three. Montoya’s wins also included the last Williams win at Monaco. A V10 monster, F1 fans will revel in driving this BMW powered classic in F1 2018.

Brawn BGP-001 and Williams FW25 to feature in F1 2018 Headline Addition only. Available as DLC for standard edition at a later date.

Ferrari T312 T2 (1976)

Immortalised by the film ‘Rush’ in 2013, the T312 T2 was driven by Niki Lauda and Clay Regazzoni. That's almost irrelevant though, as it was, of course, in this car that Lauda had his horrific accident at the Nurburgring, yet it was also the car that so nearly took him to an almost unbelievable world championship win come the final round in Fuji. The cars iconic shape and its history make it a real classic, and it marks the cars return to the F1 game after appearing in 2013.

McLaren M23D

The M23D was also immortalised by ‘Rush’. Driven by Jochen Mass and James Hunt, the car helped James Hunt win that years world championship in dramatic style in the last race of the year at Fuji over Lauda. With both of that years cars in the game, fans will be able to recreate the Hunt vs Lauda battle themselves, albeit at very different circuits.

Lotus 72D (1972)

Joining the roster this year are two Lotus machines, and the first one is the 72D, the 1972 variant of the Lotus 72. The example in the game was driven by none other than Emerson Fittipaldi, who won that years title with five victories. It featured the iconic black and gold JPS livery, one familiar with F1 fans worldwide and perhaps one of the most iconic liveries of all time. The car was also driven by Swedish superstar Ronnie Peterson from 1973 onwards, a man whose untimely death is still mourned to this day.

Lotus 79 (1978)

American racing legend Mario Andretti took his one and only title in the 1978 Lotus 79, again in the iconic JPS black and gold livery. He took five wins that year and teammate Ronnie Peterson took one. However, at the Italian Grand Prix, Mario Andretti won that years title, but it wasn’t a happy day as it also was the same day that Peterson passed away following an accident at the start of the race. In F1 2018, fans will be able to relive the glory days of America’s last F1 world champion, but also pay tribute to a driver who left us way too soon.

Ferrari 312 T4 (1979)

1979 would prove to be Ferrari’s last drivers title before the year 2000, as South African Jodie Scheckter became world champion. In doing so, he beat one of the sports greatest drivers, Gilles Villeneuve, making this car incredibly memorable and one fans will surely love slipping and sliding around a circuit. I can feel a lot of Monza magic oozing from this wonderful machine.

McLaren MP4/1B (1982)

The McLaren MP4/1B is the final addition to this years classic car roster. It was driven by John Watson and Niki Lauda. The car raced for three years, and this is the 1982 iteration of the car. The car marked Lauda’s return to racing following his first short retirement, and he took his first win of his comeback that year in Long Beach. In a topsy-turvy season, it almost brought Watson to the drivers title with two wins powering him to third place that year. McLaren also had a strong year overall with runners up position in the constructors standings.

The following cars will be returning to this years game.

McLaren MP4/4 (1988)

Perhaps the most famous of the cars that appear in the game, the MP4/4 gained legendary status by taking Ayrton Senna to his first world title in 1988 and almost completing a clean sweep of that years world championship, with 15 of the 16 races won by McLaren with Senna and Alain Prost at the wheel. Its Honda engine and superior aerodynamics made it the class of the field, and it's certainly a unique challenge to drive in F1 2018.

McLaren MP4/6 (1991)

The MP4/6 was the car that guided Senna to the last of his three world titles. 7 wins for Senna and one for teammate Gerhard Berger, including four in a row at the start of the season, ensured McLaren took both championships whilst that years Williams struggled to overcome early season reliability problems. Honda’s V12 proved to be the class of the field, ensuring this car takes its place amongst the all-time greats, whilst also being stunningly beautiful too.

Williams FW14B (1992)

Williams hit back in 1992 and the FW14B is probably one of the most satisfying cars in the game to drive. With its active suspension and Renault engine, the car glides through corners as if on rails and is arguably one of the most attractive cars of the early 1990’s. Nigel Mansell finally won the world championship with nine wins and three second place finishes, only finishing off the podium in the three races he retired in. It was a truly dominant season, with Riccardo Patrese also taking a win in Japan that year to make it ten wins for the car.

Ferrari 412 T2 (1995)

Whilst not being a classic in terms of results, the 412 T2 only won one race, it was a stunning machine. But most importantly, it gave Jean Alesi his one and only F1 victory that year in Canada, although it was teammate Berger who took more podiums with the car, eight to Alesi’s four. Not a really legendary car, but one that provides fond memories for those who witnessed that years Canadian Grand Prix. 

Williams FW18 (1996)

Damon Hill took the iconic Rothmans liveried FW18 to 8 victories back in 1996 as he fought off rookie sensation Jacques Villeneuve to that years world championship, finally putting to bed bad memories of losing the title in 1994 and 1995 to Michael Schumacher. The car was the class of the field, winning twelve of that years sixteen races as Ferrari and Ligier won the other four. It would also prove to be the penultimate time Williams won the world championship before the slump of the next two decades started to take over.

McLaren MP4/13 (1998)

Mika Hakkinen took his first world title in 1998 with the iconic sliver and black MP4/13, its Mercedes power and Adrian Newey aerodynamics making it the stand out performer of that years world championship, and getting the better of Ferrari’s might. In game it does, of course, appear without the familiar ‘West’ branding on the sides, but it's still a joy to drive and to experience the car that, so far, gave McLaren its last constructors title.

Ferrari F2002 (2002)

15 wins in 19 races, including one in 2003, cement this Ferrari as one of the greatest of all time. Michael Schumacher dominated 2002 in this car, and matched Juan Manuel Fangio’s five world titles, and wrapping up the title with six races still to go in France. The car was so successful it started the 2003 season as the F2002B for Ferrari as they readied that years real challenger, amazingly taking three further podiums including a win at that years San Marino Grand Prix. Before 2017’s monster emerged, it had often been regarded as the fastest Formula 1 car ever built.

Ferrari F2004 (2004)

15 wins capped another hugely dominant season for Ferrari, with Michael Schumacher’s 13 victories giving him his seventh world title to close out that period of Ferrari’s dominance. The car is particularly poignant as it's the final machine in which Schumacher took a world title as Renault and Fernando Alonso stepped up to the plate for 2005 and 2006, before Michael retired in the latter year. It built on the hugely successful F2002 and it showed, making this car a very popular addition to the classic car range.

Renault R26 (2006)

Renault's last world championship winning machine, the R26 made Fernando Alonso a double world champion, prevailing in an intense battle with Michael Schumacher throughout the entire year. Alonso won seven races that year to become the sports then youngest double world champion, before leaving for pastures new at McLaren. With its familiar blue and yellow colour scheme, the R26 will be etched in fans memories as a truly iconic car of the 2000’s.

Ferrari F2007 (2007)

The final Ferrari to feature in the game is the F2007, which took Kimi Raikkonen to his one and so far only world title. The year is probably remembered more so for the stunning debut of Lewis Hamilton, but Raikkonen overcame some mid-season problems to win the championship by one single point as McLaren imploded with Hamilton and Fernando Alonso. With Raikkonen being such a hugely popular driver, it's no surprise to see this car feature again in the classic car range.

McLaren MP4-23 (2008)

A huge fan favourite, the MP4-23 in which Lewis Hamilton famously passed Timo Glock on the final lap of the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix to win his first world title. Five wins for Hamilton saw him clinch that years crown in dramatic fashion, but it's also currently the last car in which McLaren won a drivers title with. Hamilton never won another title at McLaren, his last three all being at Mercedes. But it remains a hugely popular car and a welcome addition to the game.

Red Bull RB6 (2010)

Fifteen poles out of 19 races and 9 wins, the RB6 was the car they all had to try to beat in 2010 as Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull Racing both took their first world titles, and Mark Webber also challenged for that years crown. The most modern car in the game, its high downforce and grip levels make it a joy to drive, and it's worthy of its place in the classic car range as one of the dominant machines of this decade.