In F1 23 it is possible to cheat, you can see that pretty quickly in time trials. What's the deal with cheating in F1 23? Codemasters and EA are working on a solution. And even as a player you are not completely defenceless – read more here.
Every beginner wants to know how to get faster in F1 23. But when the frustration becomes too much, some resort to supernatural means: cheats. Cheating has been a contentious topic in F1 since the Esport Series last year.
Firstly, we want to clarify that this article will not provide information on how to install cheats for F1 23 and which websites offer them. Cheats may make a single-player game more exciting and fun, but in multiplayer, they are simply sad and despicable.
If you are really having trouble developing good pace in F1 23, then you should read the following article by us:
F1 23: Cheats Distort the Competition
A look at the time trial leaderboards is enough to get an impression of what is possible with cheats in F1 23. These "drivers" are faster than the best esport drivers in the world, and there have been discussions in the past about whether cheats were also used by esport players.
At that time, Dutch professional Thomas Ronhaar, who is a driver for the Alfa Romeo F1 Esports Team, was in the spotlight. His seemingly otherworldly performances raised many questions.
Compared to the other drivers, he particularly excelled in traction and acceleration, gaining several tenths per lap. The young Dutchman undoubtedly has great talent, but all the other drivers were completely outmatched in F1 22.
There is a video circulating on YouTube of Jarno Opmeer, an esport player for the Mercedes F1 Team, in which he expresses his frustration about Ronhaar.
However, Ronhaar was never proven to have actually cheated. He himself denied all allegations.
Cheats in F1 23: Codemasters and EA are Alarmed
Unfortunately, the cheating issue with the new F1 23 is not a thing of the past; it is entering its second round. EA and Codemasters currently do not have an effective means against cheating programs but have announced that an anti-cheat software is in development.
But let's first address the problem of cheating: It mostly involves PC players, as usual. Cheating is almost impossible on consoles. However, due to F1 23 Crossplay, console players are also affected by cheating.
How Cheats Work in F1 23
So, how does cheating work? There is PC software that allows for the installing of cheats.
These cheats enable players to accelerate much earlier out of corners because they have better traction and more grip. As a result, they can press the accelerator pedal much earlier and drive several tenths faster per lap. When you add that up over a lap, it's obvious they are significantly faster.
It is simply sad that such a thing is possible in a competitive esport game like F1 23, without a doubt. The qualification for professional races takes place online, so theoretically, any cheater can participate and take away spots from fast, fair drivers.
But why are cheats even possible in F1 23? One reason is the small number of PC players who actually install the software. Be gone!
PTP Servers Enable Cheats in F1 23
EA and Codemasters are also to blame because the game runs on PTP (Precision Time Protocol) servers, which allow cheaters to install this software.
PTP servers mean that each player has different track conditions, as the track is essentially loaded only for that particular console.
The differences are, of course, in the most marginal areas you can imagine. If you play "normally," you won't notice any differences. Except when playing against cheaters.
EA and Codemasters Working on Anti-Cheat System
EA and Codemasters are currently working on an anti-cheat software, which, according to Lee Mather, the Senior Creative Director, is in a testing phase. The new software is expected to be based on the system that was successfully used for FIFA 23.
At the beginning of FIFA 23, there were also cheating issues with PC players who played with invisible players or let an Esport AI play for them. Really audacious.
It is, of course, good news that Codemasters is working on an anti-cheat solution. However, we would have wished that the software had worked at the game's release. As of now, we have to deal with annoying bots that can't even hold the steering wheel straight but are still faster.
How to Block Cheaters in F1 23
As a player, you are fortunately not completely defenseless; at least not if you're playing on console. You can lock out PC players by disabling crossplay in the settings. However, keep in mind that it also means your potential player pool will be smaller, and matchmaking could take longer as a result.