F1 is on pause, and gamers are hoping that F1 2020 will not have to be delayed.
With all sport on hold and everyone who can working from home many things are suffering from delays.
Formula 1 has not had a race yet, and won't until at least June. The Virtual Grand Prix Series has been giving fans some racing, but on the excellent F1 2019.
Gamers everywhere are waiting for F1 2020. Codemasters had a lot to do for this year, and it is almost certain that they too are being impacted by coronavirus.
Projected release date
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Most Codemasters F1 games have hit in August, just in time for the usual F1 summer break.
Last year though, F1 2019 arrived in June, two months early. It was an amazing treat for fans as they got to enjoy the game for longer alongside the actual season.
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That new mark of June is when we expected F1 2020 to arrive. However, all has been quiet from Codemasters.
It was this time last year that we heard about a release date, so we are waiting with bated breath for any word.
F1 2020 workload
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It's safe to say that Codemasters have had their hands full with F1 2020. While car regulations have stayed relatively static in F1 since last season, performance levels have certainly changed and there are some new locations to create.
Both Vietnam and the Netherlands were slated to be on the calendar this season. The races were to be run early in the year, undoubtedly to give Codemasters a chance to see the tracks up close and personal.
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While the Dutch track of Zandvoort is a relatively well-known track and present in other racing games, the Vietnam city track in Hanoi was a complete unknown. From bumps, to barrier placement and traction levels, Codemasters would have to make it from scratch.
Race data would have helped no end in that regard, and now they have none.
That lack of data will also impact the team performance in F1 2020, as there is only the Winter Testing data to use.
Safety of staff
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This goes without saying, but Codemasters first priority is to the safety of their staff, not to getting the fans their new F1 game.
Creating the game requires a lot of computing power, and that is not something that can easily be done remotely.
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While fans are certainly restless for the new game, they are also well aware of the current situation and would surely forget a delay in getting F1 2020 out.
So, when will F1 2020 be released?
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The honest answer is we just don't know.
Anywhere from the end of June on is possible, but delays are more likely than not, especially when it comes to the production and distribution of physical copies.
With F1 itself on hold until at least June, Codemasters may need to see a few races before they can set driver and team performance properly and get the game out.
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That could mean a delay until as late as August or September.
With the proposed 2021 regulations being pushed back to 2022, the strain on year's game is at least toned down. That should help with any delays this year, but fans should still hold out hope for a June release.