WWDC 2009 Exclusive First Look: Brawn GP Racing speeds towards App Store

Not content with taking the F1 world by storm, now Brawn GP is getting its own iPhone game, courtesy of German 3D maestro Fishlabs.

It's the first licensed iPhone game from a Formula 1 team, and follows Fishlabs' most recent car project: the free advertorial Volkswagen Polo Challenge, which has been downloaded over 2.5 million times from the App Store.

We caught up with president Michael Schade in San Francisco at WWDC to get an exclusive hands-on with the game.

Perhaps the most significant aspect of the initial release of Brawn GP Racing is that it's currently limited to a single qualifying lap of what's best described as a fictional track inspired by F1 circuits. It's clearly not real as Big Ben, Tower Bridge and the London Eye feature in the background as you whizz by. Silverstone this ain't.

What's much more authentic is the car handling. It's definitely on the hardcore side of the old 'arcade versus simulation' debate so you'll have to consider racing lines and braking before corners, but thankfully it's no Grand Prix Legends (which simracers will no doubt remember fondly) so there's a certain amount of latitude in terms of only having to deal with the touchscreen accelerator (right) and brake (left) buttons, rather than manual gear changes and the like. Steering uses the device's accelerometer and is well honed.

Graphically, the app is also top-notch with no pop up that we could see, while small details such as rubber trails when you brake are present and correct.

But, of course, you're thinking about the unsaid details. The previous mention of "initial release" and "currently limited" should have stuck out, for instance.

It's definitely the case that three additional tracks – "inspired by the most famous and challenging elements in the world racing circuit, such as Laguna Seca's Corkscrew, Road America's Carousel, Silverstone's Copse and Monaco's hairpin" – will be released as the F1 season continues through to November.

The other feature we've not yet detailed are the community aspects which will see Facebook, Twitter and email connectivity in-built so you can brag about your fastest qualifying lap – as the app effectively only provides the opportunity for single-lap qualifying rather than full F1 racing.

There will also be a global leaderboard so you can see how you rank on the worldwide grid.

Indeed, there are plans to use this leaderboard system in terms of current and future viral marketing campaigns based around the buoyant Brawn team, hence the prolonged track roll-out schedule. We're still awaiting firm details on how this will pan out, but expect more news very soon.

Which leaves a final tantalising fact. Brawn GP Racing should be live on the App Store next week priced $3.99, €2.99 and £2.39.