F1 2020 Game Classic Content: What rivalries, tracks, & cars should Codemasters include?

Formula 1 has a storied history of rivalries.

F1 2019 was Codemasters' first attempt to truly dip into this archive as it advertised heavily around the clashes between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. Specifically, it was the 1990 season when Prost had departed for Ferrari.

Unfortunately, it is safe to say that the actual Senna-Prost section fell a little short of the top-billing it had been given. Still, it was a nice first step in the direction of historic content.

So what can Codemasters bring to the table in F1 2020?

With classic cars being a staple of F1 games now, there is plenty that Codemasters could do with the concept of taking parts of F1's amazing history and bringing it to live in F1 2020.

Hunt vs Lauda

Niki Lauda's 1976 Ferrari in F1 2018
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ICON: Lauda's 1976 Ferrari that so nearly won the championship

The entire Formula One world was saddened at the passing of Niki Lauda last year.

His impact on the sport and love for racing was unparalleled, and it would be a wonderful tribute to include the Austrian in F1 2020 with his great rival James Hunt.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about F1 2020

Their 1976 cars were in F1 2019, and there is no reason they couldn't get the same treatment that Senna & Prost did last year.

Of course, a great way to take it further would be to introduce the rest of the 1976 grid and recreate some of the more spectacular moments of that season using the scenario system that exists for the esports qualifying events.

Classic season

Two 1988 McLaren's side by side in Monaco in F1 2019
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SAME: Racing a grid full of the same car is a little dull

While F1 has had classic cars for a while now, they have never had a full grid from one year to allow players to truly recreate a season.

This has limited the gameplay options for some of the most iconic machines in motorsport history. The 1992 Williams, 2004 Ferrari, and 1972 Lotus are all trapped competing against machines they never went wheel-to-wheel with.

READ MORE: F2 needs a stand-alone career mode in F1 2020

Bringing a full grid to life from any season and letting players race them around Monaco, Suzuka, Monza, and even a handful of classic tracks would be a remarkable way to increase gameplay and engage older fans that remember the roar of a real V12.

Classic tracks

F1 2011 at the Istanbul circuit in Turkey
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OLD SCHOOL: There are plenty of tracks like Istanbul that fans miss racing on

F1 has been around the world and back.

There is a huge number of tracks that the series no longer uses. That list expands if you consider previous versions of tracks like Spa, Hockenheim, and Silverstone.

Letting you run the 1992 Williams around Imola, Mangy-Cours, or Estoril is a quick way to make history come to life. Throwing a 1985 Brabham into Bridge corner or the Bus Stop chicane is what dreams are made of.

READ MORE: F1 2020 gameplay: What improvements are needed?

F1 is marking its 70th anniversary this year, using a new logo and I'm sure a marketing campaign that will be ever-present this season.

It is the perfect time for Codemasters to dip into the history books and show gamers just what they can do with the rivalries, drivers, locations, and moments of F1 past.