How to get your motoring fix at home: Computer games

As coronavirus lockdown continues, the traditional ways of satisfying your passion for cars, such as driving, are becoming more tricky. But never fear - travelling on roads may be limited, but there are still plenty of things you can do to placate your inner petrolhead.

How to get your motoring fix at home: Films and TV | websites | computer games | books

One solution is to go for a drive virtually, to stretch your thumbs on various motoring computer games. Read on for our pick of the best of them. 

F1 2019

With no real events, Formula 1 bosses have thrown together a series of all-star races using the F1 2019 game. Still, the official F1 game is even better to play than watch, so why not find out if you could have denied Lewis Hamilton his sixth title last year.

Gran Turismo Sport

Nearly three years since it was launched, Gran Turismo Sport remains the standard to beat for classic driving simulators. Whether it’s gruelling online racing, relentless lap-time shaving around the Nürburgring or just the neat livery customisation feature, there’s plenty to enjoy. But a racing wheel is essential equipment to make the most of the impressive physics.

Mudrunner

Based in the wilds of Russia, Mudrunner tasks you with delivering logs across huge open-world maps, dodging muddy bogs and mountains. It’s tough and requires extreme patience, but the physics are amazing – you’ll find yourself doing lots of slow-speed crawling, juggling diff locks and planning your fuel. It’s way more fun than it sounds, honest – and you get to drive huge Russian eight-wheelers.

Mario Kart Tour

Mario Kart might be the antithesis of hardcore sim racing, but underpinning its cutesy graphics has always been sharp handling and challenging tracks. This smartphone redux makes the transition to touchscreen well. Still brutally cruel when you dominate a race only to be wiped out by a red shell. 

Grand Theft Auto

So GTA is not a ‘conventional’ driving game, but there are cars, there is driving and there are missions to complete that involve both. It just happens that there’s quite a bit of carnage and bloodshed, too. 18-plus. Don’t show your gran. 

Dirt Rally 2.0

The successor to one of the best rally simulators of all time, Dirt Rally 2.0 refines the physics, visuals and gameplay. Everything from a Lancia Fulvia to brutal Group B cars and today’s unstickable WRC models are available on all the greatest rally stages, mixing varied weather and surfaces to test your skill. 

Forza Motorsport

Physics nerds will probably prefer the Gran Turismo franchise’s attention to detail when it comes to suspension behaviour and bumps in tracks, but Forza will let you make a faithful replica of your local plumber’s Ford Transit, whack in the V6 from a Jaguar XJ220 and then tear around the Nordschleife. 

Rocket League

Rocket League couldn’t be further from a racing simulator if it tried. It’s basically arcade-style online multiplayer car football with customised radio-controlled cars. It doesn’t sound like much, but it’s absurdly addictive and easy to follow. 

Grand Prix 4

The most recent version of Geoff Crammond’s outstanding series dates from way back in 2002 – Lewis Hamilton’s first full season in car racing – but such is its accuracy and popularity that it’s supported and kept fresh by an active online modding community. 

Motorsport Manager 3

An ideally pitched management game for smartphones. You get to juggle the many jobs of a team boss – sign drivers and staff, develop parts, chase sponsors, plot race strategy – while avoiding getting bogged down in tedious minutiae. It’s also available in a more in-depth form for PCs. 

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How to get your motoring fix at home: Websites and online 

How to get your motoring fix at home: Books 

How to get your motoring fix at home: Films and TV