Character Skills
Character Skills (Driver Attributes)
In F1 23, the only true "character" with customisable skills is the player-created driver in My Team career mode. This driver has five core attributes that directly affect on-track performance, team morale, and development opportunities. Each attribute can be improved by spending Resource Points (RP) earned through races, objectives, and team goals. Additionally, the 22 real-world F1 drivers have fixed ratings in these same attributes, which influence their performance in career mode and their value as teammates.
Attribute Overview
| Attribute | Effect | Max Level | Starting Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Racecraft | Better overtaking, defending, and race starts | 99 | 20 |
| Awareness | Reduces crash risk, improves ERS energy management, and helps avoid penalties | 99 | 20 |
| Pace | Maximum speed potential, tyre temperature management | 99 | 20 |
| Consistency | Less performance drop over a stint, better tyre wear control | 99 | 20 |
| Experience | Unlocks perks, reduces pit stop errors, improves feedback from your race engineer | 99 | 20 |
Skill Descriptions
#### 1. Racecraft
- Effect: Influences how effectively you overtake (in AI simulation) and defend positions when the AI controls your driver during safety car periods or if you skip sessions. Higher rating means the AI can execute clean passes and hold off attackers with more precision. Also improves your ability to gain positions at race starts.
- Upgrade Cost: Increases per level; early levels cost ~50 RP, later levels over 500 RP.
- Combo Synergy: Pairs well with Pace to turn high speed into overtakes. Use on tracks with long straights (Monza, Baku).
- Recommended Build: Prioritise to 70+ for a balanced driver; max out only if you frequently simulate sessions.
- When to Use: Always beneficial; especially important in the middle of the grid where overtaking is common.
- Effect: Reduces the chance of being involved in first-lap incidents, spinning out in wet conditions, and getting time penalties for track limits or unsafe rejoins. High Awareness also improves ERS energy harvesting efficiency (both regen and deployment) because the AI driver manages battery better.
- Upgrade Cost: Moderate; similar scaling to Racecraft.
- Combo Synergy: Essential for Consistency builds – high Awareness + high Consistency makes a nearly unshakeable driver in endurance stints.
- Recommended Build: Keep at least 60 for safety; go higher if you often race in wet weather or on tight street circuits (Monaco, Singapore).
- When to Use: Critical at start of championship when you have low overall performance; later becomes a quality-of-life upgrade.
- Effect: Determines the maximum speed your driver can achieve in clean air. Affects top speed, acceleration out of corners, and how quickly they reach optimal tyre temperature. High Pace means faster lap times when the driver is in full control (no assists).
- Upgrade Cost: Most expensive attribute to upgrade; often requires 300–800 RP per level at high tiers.
- Combo Synergy: Combines with Racecraft for a front-runner build. Also synergises with car upgrades that boost engine and aero.
- Recommended Build: Focus on Pace early if you want to fight for podiums; but balance with Consistency to avoid tyre overheating.
- When to Use: Always; the most impactful attribute for raw lap time.
- Effect: Reduces lap-to-lap variation, slows tyre degradation, and maintains closer lap times through a stint. A high Consistency driver can manage tyre wear better and keep performance steady on older tyres.
- Upgrade Cost: Medium; cheaper than Pace but more than Racecraft.
- Combo Synergy: Best with Awareness to create a "safe and steady" driver perfect for long stints and conservative strategies.
- Recommended Build: Essential for one-stop strategies; aim for 80+ if you plan to run long first stints.
- When to Use: Prioritise during races with high tyre wear (Bahrain, Barcelona) or when you have a car with poor tyre management.
- Effect: Unlocks passive perks as you level up (see below). Also improves the quality and accuracy of race engineer radio calls and pit stop timing. High Experience shortens pit stops (less chance of error) and gives more precise fuel consumption estimates.
- Upgrade Cost: Cheapest per level; starts at 20 RP and scales slowly.
- Perks Unlocked (automatic as Experience reaches certain thresholds):
- Combo Synergy: Pairs with everything; a must-upgrade over time because of the passive perks.
- Recommended Build: Spend remaining RP on Experience after hitting 70+ in other attributes.
- When to Use: Always valuable; the perks are permanent bonuses.
- Racecraft: 70
- Awareness: 60
- Pace: 70
- Consistency: 65
- Experience: 60
- Total RP investment: ~5,000 RP
- Strategy: No glaring weakness; works on all tracks and conditions.
- Racecraft: 50 (less important for single lap)
- Awareness: 50 (penalties less likely in qualifying)
- Pace: 99
- Consistency: 40 (tyre wear irrelevant in one lap)
- Experience: 50
- Strategy: Max out Pace early; use car upgrades that boost engine performance. You'll struggle in the race if you don't improve other stats later.
- Racecraft: 60
- Awareness: 70
- Pace: 60
- Consistency: 99
- Experience: 70
- Strategy: Win races through strategy – pit later, manage tyres perfectly. Combine with high Awareness to avoid incidents. Expect to lose a few tenths per lap initially, but overtake others when they pit.
- Racecraft: 96
- Awareness: 93
- Pace: 97
- Consistency: 95
- Experience: 99
- Never neglect Experience – its perks are permanent and boost all other attributes eventually.
- Use Awareness as a safety net when racing on hard difficulty – it prevents AI-caused accidents.
- Attribute upgrades do not affect your own manual driving skill; they only influence AI performance and incidental bonuses. Focus on track practice and setups for real speed gains.
#### 2. Awareness
#### 3. Pace
#### 4. Consistency
#### 5. Experience
- Level 25: "Sharp Reflexes" – improved reaction to crashed cars ahead.
- Level 50: "Fuel Whisperer" – fuel consumption reduced by 1%.
- Level 75: "Sixth Sense" – warning when a car is about to spin ahead.
- Level 99: "Legendary Status" – extra +5 to all other attributes (permanent).
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Recommended Builds
#### A) The Balanced All-Rounder (Recommended for Beginners)
#### B) The Qualifying Specialist (For Pole Positions)
#### C) The Endurance Iron Man (For Long Stints)
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How to Upgrade Attributes
1. Access the My Team Headquarters menu.
2. Select Driver then Attributes.
3. Spend available Resource Points (earned from race results, completing objectives, and team sponsors).
4. Upgrades apply immediately to your driver's AI performance when you simulate sessions, and indirectly affect your own driving (e.g., ERS advice, pit stop speed).
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Real-World Driver Ratings (Fixed Skills)
Each of the 22 real F1 drivers has pre-set attributes that influence their performance in Career Mode and Two-Player Career if you choose them as your teammate. These ratings change slightly each season based on real-world performance. Example ratings for Max Verstappen (2023):
You cannot upgrade these drivers; their ratings are static per season. They serve as benchmarks for your own skill progression.
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Braking Point Characters (No Skills)
The narrative mode Braking Point features three playable characters: Aiden Jackson, Devon Butler, and Callie Mayer. None have customisable skills or attributes. Their driving performance is fixed and represents the same general AI behaviour as any other driver in the game. The mode focuses on story decisions, not skill trees.
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Important Note on Virtual Reality and Social Features
This character skills system applies only to My Team career mode. Other modes (Online, Grand Prix, Time Trial) use default driver ratings of 79 for all attributes (your online avatar has no skills). Team upgrades and facility improvements are separate from driver skills and are covered in the All Game Items section of this guide.
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