When you start a new game in F1 2012, you start out in the F1 2012 Young Driver Test. This test is one of the best ways to overcome the otherwise frustratingly steep learning curve. The test spans two days in Abu Dabi’s Yas Marina Circuit and features a combination of instructional and informational videos and challenges that new drivers must complete.
If you don’t want to complete the Young Driver Test, you can skip it by quitting to the dashboard and restarting the game, but the tips you learn in this short introductory mode will save you hours of frustration in the main game.
I’ve made videos for each day in the F1 2012 Young Driver Test which you can view below with a (forthcoming) description of each day and the achievements or trophies you can earn if you drive well enough.
F1 2012 Young Driver Test – Day 1
Click here to watch F1 2012 Young Driver Test – Day 1 on YouTube
After a brief introduction by the announcer, you are introduced to your race engineer. The race engineer is an important part of F1 2012 and keeps you informed about important events while racing. During the Young Driver Test, he gives you instructions on each part of the test, so it’s important that you listen to him.
Learning the Controls in F1 2012 (1:50)
Your first lesson in the F1 2012 Young Driver Test is learning the controls. Ostensibly you are checking to make sure the controls are “a good fit,” but really this part of the test is just teaching you what the controls are. The “check” starts with the basics.
The accelerator is the right trigger (RT).
The brake is the left trigger (LT).
Next, you check the steering lock. Move your left joystick (LS) to the left and right to continue.
In F1 2012, your car’s transmission is either manual or automatic, but you can override the automatic transmission by using the gear up and gear down buttons. To shift up to the next gear press A. To gear down, press X.
Straight Line Test (2:40) — Two Chevrons
Driver Objective: Receive an introduction to some additional features before performing a straight-line speed test.
After learning the basic controls, you head out to the track for a Straight Line Test. As the name indicates, this test consists of driving in a straight line like a drag race.
Before you start driving, though, your race engineer informs you how to change your racing camera. Press the right bumper (RB) to cycle through the different cameras. You can also change your camera or racing assists through the pause menu.
The straight line test requires you to accelerate past 160 miles per hour and then brake to come to a stop in the designated area (indicated by a big patch of red pavement). If you succeed at these two tasks, you will earn two chevrons.
A tip on braking: Because you are moving at such high speeds, you can’t just come to a complete stop immediately. It takes some time to slow down. As you can see from the video to stop in the designated area, you have to start braking well before you enter the designated area. If you wait until you are already in the designated area to start braking, you will overshoot it and have to take the test again.
Racing 101 Video (4:02) — One Chevron
Driver Objective: Watch the Racing 101 video to learn about the three key elements of race craft; Car Performance, Throttle and Brake application, Racing Lines and Apexes
When you complete the Straight Line Test, the next item on the agenda is the Racing 101 Video. After you start the video there is no action required of you. Just watch it and learn how F1 racing works.
Modern Formula 1 cars have around 750 brake horse power being sent to the rear wheels. The delivery can be very violent, so you must be careful to be smooth and precise with all your inputs so that you don’t unsettle the car and cause a spin.
At speed, the car’s aerodynamics generate a lot of downforce forcing the car to the track. To work efficiently with downforce, you should put a lot of force into the brake pedal initially, slowly reducing the pressure as they turn in for the corner as you’ll have less grip at this stage and be asking the tires to work harder.
When navigating a corner, stay as wide as possible before sweeping in to clip the corner’s apex, taking as straight a line as possible. This allows you to get on the accelerator earlier and straighten up the car on the exit of the corner, slowly increasing the pressure on the accelerator as you exit the corner until you are confident the rear wheels will no longer spin, at which point you can use full power.
Hairpin Turn Test (5:15) — Six Chevrons
Driver Objective: Test your knowledge of apexes by hitting a series of markers, then stop within the designated area.
Now it’s time to put what you learned in the Racing 101 Video into action. The hairpin turn test involves navigating a hairpin turn and stopping in a designated area.
There is a marker at the beginning of the turn on the outer edge of the track, one at the turn’s apex, and another at the exit of the turn — again on the outer edge. You must hit each of these markers.
Flashbacks: When you exit the turn, you experience a blow out, and your race engineer explains how to use a flashback. Press the Select button on your controller to start an instant replay. During an Instant Replay use LT and RT to control the flow of time. Press X before the puncture happens, indicated by the Flashback icons still being red, to use a Flashback and resume play from that point.
By successfully completing a flashback, you will unlock the Let’s Try That Again Achievement for 5G.
After the flashback, you must accelerate past 180 miles per hour and then stop in the designated area. In this test, you get a chevron for each of the markers in the turn, one for completing the flashback, one for accelerating past 180, and one for stopping in the designated area.
Baseline Performance Test (6:53) — Four Chevrons and a Medal
Driver Objective: Check out your car’s baseline performance by driving a series of corners against the clock.
The Baseline Performance Test consists of a few corners strung together. Your objective is to hit the apex of each corner and stop in the designated area while finishing faster than your target time. You get a chevron for each apex you hit and for stopping in the designated area. You get a medal based on how quickly you are able to accomplish this.
The first gold medal you earn in the Young Driver Test unlocks the Just a Taster Achievement for 35G.
KERS and DRS Video (8:05) — One Chevron
Driver Objective: Watch the KERS and DRS video to gain an intimate knowledge of the KERS and DRS systems.
After the Baseline Performance Test, the only thing left in Day 1 of the Young Driver Test is the KERS and DRS Video. Like in the Racing 101 Video, there’s nothing for you to do here except watch and learn.
KERS delivers an additional 80 brake horse power to the rear wheels at the press of the button. It can be used in short bursts or all at once for around 7 seconds per lap. KERS can be used at any time in any session and can be used for overtaking or defending.
Deploying KERS in the low gears gives the best return and can pay off greatly when used at the start.
The KERS charge will automatically refill every lap, but the KERS system can at times develop faults. However, these can be fixed while the driver is still out on track.
DRS adjusts the angle of the rear wing, which reduces drag and gives around 10-12 kilometers per hour extra top speed. It can only be used in defined activation points during the race when you’re within one second of the car in front. It can be used whenever the driver wants in practice or qualifying but only when dry tires are fitted.
F1 2012 Young Driver Test – Day 2
Click here to watch F1 2012 Young Driver Test – Day 2 on YouTube
The second day in the F1 2012 Young Driver Test skips any introductions from the announcer and jumps straight to the action.
KERS & DRS Systems Check (0:23) — Three Chevrons
Driver Objective: Put your knowledge of KERS and DRS into practice as you race another driver in a sprint for the finishing line.
The first item on the day’s agenda is the KERS and DRS Systems Check. In this test, you learn how to use KERS and DRS. Then you put them to work as you overtake another car.
To activate KERS, press the left bumper (LB).
To active DRS, press Y. To deactivate DRS, press Y again or press your brake pedal.
After showing the race engineer that you know how to use KERS and DRS, he tells you to overtake another car practicing its race start without colliding.
This is a very easy test. You are traveling in a straight line, so you don’t have to worry about spinning out. Activate DRS as soon as you can and leave it activated the entire test. Once your tires have sufficient grip, hold the left bumper to activate KERS, and just keep holding it until you’ve used it all. There’s not any point in saving it since this is such a short test.
This test will earn you three more chevrons: one for using KERS, one for using DRS, and one for finishing before the other car.
KERS & DRS Performance Test (1:48) — Four Chevrons and a Medal
Driver Objective: Use KERS and DRS to beat your fellow Young Drivers to the finish line.
Now that you know how to use them, it’s time to do some practice with KERS and DRS. In this performance test, you have three cars ahead of you. You have to use your KERS and DRS to beat the other cars to the finish line, but you are forbidden from making contact with any of the other cars.
If you do this successfully, you will earn four chevrons as well as a medal.
Tyre Conservation Video (3:05) — One Chevron
Driver Objective: Learn about the different tyre compounds used in FORMULA ONE and how best to employ them.
Just like the ones in Day 1 of the Young Driver Test, this Tyre Conservation Video is for educational purposes and doesn’t require any action from you.
“There are four tire types available during a race weekend. Primes, options, intermediates, and wets. Prime tires will last the longest, but have less overall grip than the option tires, however the increased grip from the options means they wear out faster. Intermediates are best used when the track is damp, and wets should only be used in heavy rain.
The best drivers don’t take too much life out of their tires. This allows them to have more race strategies open to them as well as allowing them to run tires with more grip for longer. The best way to avoid excessive tire wear is by being smooth with your throttle, brake, and steering inputs and avoiding sliding the car out of corners and causing wheel spin which will destroy tire life.”
Wet Weather Test (4:08) — Nine Chevrons
Driver Objective: Drive the final sector of the track in wet weather conditions and learn about the differences between wet and dry track conditions.
The Wet Weather Test is one of the hardest in either day of the Young Driver Test. The funny thing is that it isn’t actually raining; the track is just soaked from another team’s tests. Whatever the case, the track is wet, and it’s easy to lose control of your car. Braking is more difficult, accelerating is more difficult, and turning is definitely more difficult.
In this test, you have to hit the apex of each corner. Do this successfully, and you’ll earn yourself nine more chevrons.
Evaluation Test (5:20) — One Chevron and a Medal
Driver Objective: Put all you have learnt into practice as you drive a lap of the circuit against the clock.
This is the final event in the F1 2012 Young Driver Test. Using all of your newly gained racing knowledge, you must now drive a full lap around the Yas Marina Circuit.
This is a solo time trial, so you don’t have to worry about any other vehicles getting in your way. You are also free to use DRS at any point during the lap, so any time you are on a straight stretch, I recommend you use it. It’s also best to use your KERS as you are exiting a turn so that you get the most benefit from it.
At this point, if you have earned all the chevrons and all the gold medals (as I’ve demonstrated in the videos), you’ll unlock three more achievements:
- Earning Your Stripes for 5G
- Future Champion for 40G
- Graduation Day for 25 G