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{{TOC|guide|lang=en}}
{{mbox
| type=tip
| text=The guide was written to help new players (or Newbies) get started in F1T. It is strongly recommended that all players read through the entire Guide.
| }}


First things first, welcome to [[F1TIME]], a free online Formula One management game, in which you control a small team trying to make it to the [[top]] against players from all over the world.

F1TIME encompasses a wide spectrum of the world of Formula racing which can make it difficult to know where to start and what to do. This guide aims to make learning the basics easier and making it more enjoyable. This approach can help you go from a newbie to winning races, …though your mileage may vary.

The guide menu is structured to step you through the process of preparing for, and competing in, an F1TIME race.

So you've signed up and now you're eager to hit the track, but wait... 

==Don't hit that submit button!==

The first thing you should do is read the entire guide and the [[rules]]. No, seriously, you should ''read everything first''. Then take your time and go through all the [[menus]] and get a good sense of how everything works. This may be the single most important step on your way to competing in Class 1 or struggling with a [[negative balance]] in [[Class 4]].

==Save Everything==
F1TIME, like running a business or balancing your budget, is about keeping track of the details. You should save every bit of information you can to analyze or refer to when you need it. Over time this will help you progress through the [[ranks]] against stronger managers and give you the edge needed to win.

==It's still not race time==
Before you can get out on [[track]] and race you need to take care of a few things. You need to decide on how many staff members you will need and start preparing for future races beyond this weekends event. A staff of four pit members won't cut it in modern F1.

Things to do when you first start F1TIME:

* Read this entire guide (Seriously)
* Read the [[rules]]! The rules contain more detailed explanations of some of the items covered here and regulations that you must adhere to when playing F1TIME.
* Hire some [[staff]]. How many is up to you, but the skeleton crew you start with probably won't make you very competitive.
* Give your [[designer]] orders for new parts. (You can't save up his time so use it all and use it wisely) Experiment with different allotments of hours to find the results that work best for you.
* [[Build]] some new [[parts]] for future races. These things take time.
* Consider going [[testing]] to improve your car or train your [[driver]].

==Make new friends==
F1TIME is a lot more fun when you know a little about the people you race against and can have healthy rivalries with. It is also a good source for game support and possibly a team mate. You can contact your league mates through [[private message]] (PM) by clicking their name and sending them an F1TIME message. In the same menu you can add them to your [[Buddy list]] to make it easier to keep in touch.

You can also join your group's [[forum]] board by clicking your group's link (E.g. Class 2 - Group 4) and selecting Forum folder: Join in the bottom left menu.

==Join a team==
Another great way to make new friends (and some money too) is to join a [[team]], or create one yourself. Although creating a team used to be expensive, it is now free! Get yourself a team mate and try and get some extra prize money at the end of the season.

On your [[Office]] page there is a link to check for teams to join in your league. You can choose a team here and make an offer or send a private message first to your fellow manager and discuss teaming up together.

==Make a list, check it twice!==
A good idea is to make a checklist of all the things you need to do between races. There is a lot more to running a race team than pit babes and corporate lunches with rich sponsors. Here are only a few things you may want to add to your check list:

* Check for new sponsor offers and make sure none are expiring
* Check staff contracts and make sure they don't lapse
* Give design orders
* Build new parts
* Arrange a testing day
* Practice, warmup and qualify for the race
* Set race orders
* Double check race orders and fuel load
* Save everything!

==I think I want to test before I race==
[[Testing]] sounds like a good idea. Just remember to account for the cost of testing or your bean counters and the bank may come looking for you. Here are a few very helpful hints about testing:

* There is a separate current version status and upgrade version status of your engine, gearbox and tyres. 
* There is a link under each supplier that will update your car with the newest revision immediately. But be careful, you have a limited number of revisions for the season. Use them wisely!
* The more R&D stars, the greater the results for the test. 
* The cost of the test track is based upon the highest star rating for the track regardless of what you are testing.

==It's Almost Time to Race==
We're getting close now. Before you go to the track though let's go over a few of the key [[strategic]] components that make up the race weekend. These are all very important parts of mastering F1TIME, take the time to read about, understand, and experiment with these game elements.

===DRP===
A very important piece of your strategy are Driver Race Points (DRP). [[DRP]] effects the speed of your driver and how long your [[tyres]] will last. 

{{Read|DRP}}

===DRPP===

Driver Race Points Potential (DRPP) tells the manager what the full potential of the driver's DRP can be.

{{Read|DRPP}}

===Tyres===
In F1TIME tyres (or tires) are one of the most important aspects of race strategy. Your choice of tyre effects your speed and determines how long you can go without having to pit for a new set of rubber.

{{Read|tyres}}

===Weather===
Weather plays an important role in real racing and in F1TIME as well. The track may be dry in practice and qualifying, but pouring rain in the race. Before you head out for practice it is a good idea to take a look at the Race Weekend page and assess the weekend's weather conditions. Remember that the hotter the weather the shorter the distance your tyres will last before exploding. Don't try and race on soft tyres in 44c heat unless you plan on visiting the pits frequently.

{{Read|weather}}

==OK, Let's Race!==
I know, it's about time! So here you are at the track for your first race. What now? The first thing you need to do is practice and find a good [[setup]] and DRP. After practice it is on to warm up and then qualifying. After that you will give your race orders and then the race. Let's go over a few key things to remember for each component of the race weekend.

===Practice===
There are 3 main goals you are trying to accomplish in [[practice]];
# setting up the car properly for the driver and track,
# getting your [[DRP]] as close to 100% as possible, and 
# choosing the right [[tyre]] to use for the race. 

While doing this you must remember that every lap puts wear on your car parts and more importantly your race engine and gearbox. You are limited to only 25 laps of practice so use them wisely.

{{mbox
| type=tip
| text=Don't abuse your car in practice. Remember, this isn't the race and there are no points for first in practice.
| }}

{{read|practice}}

===Warm up===
Warm up gives you an opportunity to determine how much fuel you will need to complete the race. You can also use this as an opportunity to test different tyre compounds and fine tune your DRP. There are a few things to remember when doing warm up:
* You can complete up to 15 warm up laps in groups of 3 or more laps.
* Set your fuel and lap numbers. (You can only do stints of 3 or more laps, though 3 is probably not a great idea for determining average fuel usage per lap.)
* The speed of the car affects fuel consumption.
* The driver goes slower on his untimed in & out laps, this will also affect fuel consumption.
* You need to measure how much fuel your warm up laps use and determine the amount of fuel needed per lap.
* Some longer laps consume a lot of fuel, so the 10 L default fuel may not be enough to do all the laps you select.

{{mbox
| type=tip
| text=It is far better to finish a race with 10-20 L extra fuel than run out of petrol. As you gain experience you can reduce the fuel buffer with more confidence.
| }}

{{Read|warm up}}

===Qualification===
Now you need to find out where on the grid you will start the race. The first thing you will need to do when you [[qualify]] is choose your [[tyre]] compound for the race and your starting [[fuel]]. Once you hit submit this can not be changed so take your time and devise a race strategy before you begin.

{{mbox
| type=tip
| text=You can only choose between the 3 dry tyre compounds. During the qualifying and the race, and including the start, you can pick intermediates or wets at any time as well as the dry compound you have selected. So don't be worried if your race is in the wet and your qualifying is on a dry track.
| }}

{{Read|qualification}}

===Race orders===
The final step in the race weekend is to set your race orders. There are a number of settings here you will have to consider.

The first is to set your DRP. Double check you are using your ideal values and remember you no longer have to convert the DRP from DQP. The second set of values to decide on is your Overtaking and Defensive settings. This determines how aggressive or passive your driver will be on the race track. Very aggressive (high values) may lead to many accidents and unhappy league mates. Keep in mind the difficulty of passing on the track when setting these values and the ability of your driver to pass and block. 

{{mbox
| type=tip
| text=You may want to consider 0/0 values to ensure you do not get in an accident with another car.
| }}

If you've joined a team you can opt to let your team mate by if he or she is faster. This may not however be very good for your driver's motivation.

The boost laps are 3 groups of 3 laps that your driver will race very fast. Timing these laps can make or break a race so think them through and try and imagine what your competitors are doing for strategy.

Finally, don't forget to set the laps on which you will pit and the amount of fuel to go in and tyre selection. Again, it is far better to finish with extra fuel than to run out.

{{Read|Race Orders}}

==Sit back and enjoy the race==
Well almost. Now is a great time to triple check that list you made. Have you forgotten to order new [[parts]]? Are you leaving your [[designer]] with nothing to do for the next race? Are your [[staff]] going to leave unhappily after the race because you didn't renew their contracts? These are the little details that are the difference between a good manager and a great one.

Now you can watch the race the [[Live Race]] and follow your driver's progress in the race, then start all over again for the next race weekend. You can also choose the non-graphical [[Simple Race Viewer]] or [[Mobile Race Viewer]] if you can't or don't want to use Live Race.

Hopefully this will improve your race results and I'm sure you'll never run out of fuel...

Good luck.

==Disclaimer==
Opinions and views expressed in this guide are not official and may contain subjective material. It is intended to help new players form a basis from which they can develop their game play. Use this guide at your own discretion.

Originally compiled and edited by [[Neil Vaughn]] and [[Tadas Bubelevicius]].

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