Championship Racing 2010

Do you remember how confusing F1 used to be? All the random rules, like cars having to carry over their qualifying fuel load to the race, every third lap having to be run in reverse gear, and anyone with a K in their name having to complete the entire weekend with clamps attached to their nipples?

Now most of the above have been stripped away, F1 is suddenly interesting again, with races more a case of flat out tussles for the top positions than crafty pit stops jostling the line-up almost by accident.

Championship Racing 2010 is, in all but name, an attempt to tap into this new streamlined setup.

The official cars aren't here, the official drivers aren't here, and – even though their names are chucked in for good measure – the offical tracks aren't here either, but this is essentially F1 with all of its fancy trimmings dumped in the waste bin.

Racing without revs

To a certain degree, its arcade approach pays off. With 19 tracks on offer, you drive round each circuit controlling only the breaks and steering.

In very basic terms, Championship Racing 2010 becomes a simple case of dodge the obstacles as a result, the idea being to keep away from the barriers that dominate some of the tracks and hold your speed when attempting to pass the leagues of other cars that, at one stage or another, sit in front of you.

In the midst of all this there's also tyre wear and changes in the weather from track to track, both of which will cause you to make pit stops.

These are also refreshingly straightforward, parking in the white zone in the pit lane triggering a QTE style mini-game where all you have to do is punch in the numbers that pop up on screen.

Traffic slam

Such highs stand in great contrast to the game's crushing lows, however.

Championship Racing 2010's main – and, ultimately, fundamental – fumble is its approach to driving. Handling is virtually nonexistent, most of the corners requiring nothing more than the odd guiding tip to get you round.

Filing through traffic is, conversely, far more tricky, with the game never responding to your inputs in time, which results in crashes aplenty.

This would merely be an annoyance if it didn't actually bring about your retirement. Three hits – most of which won't be your fault - and the car breaks down, bringing your race to a sharp close.

As such, it's really only possible to survive races if you manage to qualify in first position and do everything to hold your lead throughout.

Let it slip, and there's a fair chance your car will end up on the scrapyard – one place, in truth, Championship Racing 2010 itself might like to pay a visit.