F1 2021 has been out since July of 2021, meaning its successor should only be a few months away. However, the months since the release of the 2021 iteration have seen the creation of countless community resources for the game – which is not very mod-friendly to begin with.
Community creations were never intended to be in the game, but the creative minds have found a way to release skin packs, HUD elements and even to alter certain track parameters like DRS zones. Many of these alterations can be found in RaceDepartment’s download section, so we want to shed some light on the most-downloaded F1 2021 mods on RD to showcase some of the fantastic work of our community members.
Community creations were never intended to be in the game, but the creative minds have found a way to release skin packs, HUD elements and even to alter certain track parameters like DRS zones. Many of these alterations can be found in RaceDepartment’s download section, so we want to shed some light on the most-downloaded F1 2021 mods on RD to showcase some of the fantastic work of our community members.
10 - Porsche Gulf
A Gulf-themed livery never looks out of place on a race car, be it a Ford GT40, a Porsche 917K like in “Le Mans” starring Steve McQueen, or, in this case, a modern F1 car. RD member @Double R has created a Porsche squad for use in the MyTeam mode – and it is not just the car’s livery: Full team branding including motorhomes, shirts, pit crews and equipment and driver suits are part of this pack that expands the game’s roster by a team that may well be on the grid in the near future as the VW group has given Audi and Porsche the go-ahead to further explore an F1 entry.
9 - Telemetry Tool
Extracting data from your races can help you go faster and to fix setup flaws, not just in an esports environment (in which F1 2021 is used as well). Titles like Assetto Corsa Competizione come with built-in MOTEC support, but F1 2021 does not include any telemetry app. In comes the Telemetry Tool to save the day: Created by @Iko Rein, the tool makes it possible to extract and visualize data from your sessions to see exactly what the car is doing and how your inputs influence it at any point of a lap. As a nice bonus feature, the tool also supports Assetto Corsa, Project Cars 2 and Automobilista 2.
8 - Vodafone Porsche F1 Team
Should the Porsche F1 Team become reality, generating hype would likely not be a problem at all for the squad: Another Zuffenhausen-related entry joins the list, this time by @JamieG18 and with Vodafone branding, creating a striking red and black livery. The skin pack comes with full team branding for equipment, pit crews, clothing and more as well, making for an immersive experience in MyTeam mode.
7 - MCL35M - Gulf McLaren Livery
The Gulf livery that McLaren ran at the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix was an instant fan favorite, so it is no surprise that it is one of the most-downloaded paint schemes for F1 2021, marking the second entry by @JamieG18 on this list. Again, it comes with the full branding for everything surrounding the team, even adding the retro helmets worn by drivers Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo at Monaco in 2021.
6 - Mission Winnow Lamborghini - MyTeam Package
The Lamborghini name has become synonymous with supercars and hypercars – but the name has been absent from F1 for almost 30 years, as it has been on the grid for the final time as an engine manufacturer for the Larrousse team in 1993. The year did not end well as the team only managed to score three points despite the engine being praised by none other than Ayrton Senna when he tested it in an adapted version of his McLaren MP4/8. For F1 2021, @Peter Roche Racing imagined what a full works effort of the Italian manufacturer might look like based on a yellow Huracán – the result is absolutely stunning! The pack includes the car livery, driver suits and full pitcrew attires.
5 - LucasDesigns'2022 Season Mod
For anyone that absolutely cannot wait for F1 2022 to be released, @Lucas351 has created a 2022 mod for F1 2021. It includes the car liveries of the new season adapted to the older chassis, the correct driver roster and a new tyre model, plus new graphics and photos for players to enjoy the spirit of the 2022 season early on. Reworked helmets for seven drivers as well as new race suits for Ferrari, Williams, Aston Martin and McLaren are also included.
4 - F1 TV - Leaderboard
Even small things can contribute immensely to the enjoyment of something, and F1 2021 is no different: If you want your game experience to look more like an actual F1 broadcast, the F1TV Leaderboard is the mod for you – it even includes flag warnings, positions lost/gained, tire age and more, which are activated via the MFD. To get the creation of @dham97 working, SimHub is needed, but detailed installation instructions are included in the mod’s description.
3 - TAG Heuer Porsche MyTeam | spood
By this point, it should not come as a surprise that yet another Porsche team finds its way onto this list: @renjiro2020 has created a MyTeam pack based on the Formula E squad of the manufacturer. The pack comes with not one, but three liveries in total, as well as custom gloves, boots and caps. New helmets are also on board, creating a very believable representation of what it might have looked like had Porsche joined the grid for 2021 already. It would be the first full works effort since 1962, although Porsche engines have last been used in 1991 by the Footwork team – after winning two world driver’s championships with Niki Lauda and Alain Prost as McLaren’s engine supplier in 1984 and 1985, albeit with TAG branding on the Porsche-constructed motors.
2 - F1 2022 Season Mod
The third appearance in our top ten of @JamieG18, and this time, it is not just one but rather all ten teams on the grid: The 2022 Season Mod changes the game to the current season as far as limitations allow. This means the old cars have gotten new liveries based on the early season of 2022, and most helmets and driver suits have seen an overhaul as well, with a few absences. Even the faces of the new-for-2022 drivers have been swapped in.
1 - Modular Mods 2021 - Base Files
The best mod is worth nothing if it cannot be installed, and the Modular Mods 2021 Base Files lay the groundwork for this: The files make it possible to use modular mods for multiple elements of the game, such as MyTeam packages, car performance alterations or even the removal of DRS zones. No wonder these files by @Maian (with help by @ParkYongLee who created the 2020 version) are the most-downloaded F1 2021 resource on RaceDepartment.
As this list was assembled by the number of downloads, some hidden gems may have been missed – what are your favorite F1 2021 resources? Let us know in the comments!
As this list was assembled by the number of downloads, some hidden gems may have been missed – what are your favorite F1 2021 resources? Let us know in the comments!