An F1 Arcade Review: Everything You Need to Know about Going to an F1 Arcade
Looking to keep the Formula 1 excitement alive even when there aren’t any live races to watch? Then you should definitely check out an F1 Arcade!
These Formula 1-themed sim racing bar-cades have been popping up all around the world since 2022 — and there might be an F1 Arcade near you!
Read on for everything you need to know about visiting an F1 Arcade in this full and honest F1 Arcade review.
A guide to visiting an F1 Arcade
Elliot and I have been to a couple F1 Arcades now, and I’ll tell you all about what to expect if you plan to visit one.
Table of Contents
What is F1 Arcade?
First, what exactly is an F1 Arcade? They’re certainly not like any regular arcade you might be picturing!
F1 Arcade is a chain of entertainment venues where the only “game” to play is F1 simulator racing. All F1 Arcades also have a full-service bar, party rooms, and a couple reaction-time games you can play as a bonus… but most of the space in these arcades is taken up by full-motion racing simulators.
And we’re not just talking a couple sim rigs here… we’re talking dozens of them!
All the F1 Arcades have a similar design and vibe, with plenty of F1 nods like neon lights shaped like tracks, driver quotes, and themed bar menus. You’ll also get to “race” around the most famous F1 tracks.
Where is the F1 Arcade?
F1 Arcade currently has 8 locations worldwide, with 2 in the UK and 6 in the US. They’ve also been expanding every year, with their first location in Spain set to open in 2026.
Current US F1 Arcade locations are:
And the current UK locations are:
And an F1 Arcade in Madrid will be opening in 2026!
(Currently, Elliot and I have been to the F1 Arcades in London and Boston!)
Who is the F1 Arcade for?
F1 Arcade describes itself as a venue for “social gaming,” and it’s therefore meant to be a spot you’d go to with a date or group of friends to hang out, have some drinks/food, and feel the thrill of F1 racing.
The racing sims can be used by people of all experience levels — whether you’ve never tried sim racing before, or whether you’ve got your own rig at home. BUT, I feel it’s important to stress that this is meant to be a fun, social gaming experience. It’s designed for F1 fans interested in trying out simulators, not really for professional or very experienced sim racers. (Not that pros can’t come; they absolutely can! But pros definitely won’t be impressed by the motion rigs here.)
Elliot has done some simulator driving in the past (he even had a rig at home at one point), while I had never even sat in a full-motion simulator before our first trip to an F1 Arcade. And we both had a great time!
How the F1 Arcade works
First, it is recommended that you pre-book a time for your F1 Arcade experience. You can show up early to grab drinks or food, but busy time slots do often fill up/sell out, so to be safe, hop online and make a timed reservation.
You’ll also be asked to create a profile in the Arcadian Hub before you race. This is how you can earn points/coins during your time at F1 Arcade.
There are two different ways to “race” at most F1 Arcades:
- Head to Head racing – This is for 2-3 drivers* (perfect for a date!). Races are back-to-back, meaning if there are 2 of you, you’ll be seated next to one another in separate sim rigs and you’ll race against each other. You can play for either 3 races (roughly 30 minutes of sim time) or 5 races (45 minutes of racing).
- Team racing – This is for groups of 4+ people. For bigger groups, you’ll be divided up into teams and compete against each other. How many sims you’ll use and how long you’ll race depends on the group size; with a group of 4 in Boston, we had 2 sims and all raced one another (I think we all had either 4 or 5 races). These sessions usually last at least an hour.
*Note: There’s currently not a way to book a solo racing experience at any F1 Arcades. If you want to try the sims solo, you’ll have to go in and see if they have any availability.
For each race, each driver can choose the skill level they want to race at. The 5 skill levels are:
- Rookie – For true beginners. You’ll get racing lines on the track, and an AI assist to help with things like braking, stability control, steering, and spin recovery. In this mode, it’s easy to follow the racing line, and actually pretty difficult to crash out!
- Casual – Similar to the Rookie level, except they remove most of the steering assistance.
- Semi-Pro – You get more control over the throttle, and there’s less braking assistance. You’ll still get racing lines to guide you, but it’ll be a lot easier to spin out!
- Pro – Now we’re getting serious! Most of the auto-assist features get turned off here. There’s no more stability control, steering assistance, spin recovery, or braking assistance. The steering wheel can also lock up on you!
- Elite – The closest you’ll get to actually “driving.” This is the mode for you if you want to drive in manual (all other modes shift automatically). Basically all the assists are gone, including the racing line on the track.
There are several buttons and dials on the race wheel, but honestly you don’t need to use most of them if you don’t want to.
It’s also important to note that you’ll only race the other people in your group/team. There will be a grid of 10 cars on track for each race, but most will just be game-controlled cars. You won’t be racing any other people in the F1 Arcade.
A note on the sim rigs: F1 Arcade uses full-motion simulator rigs. They are not super violent, but the whole seat DOES move and vibrate as you race. If you’re a person sensitive to motion, you might want to take some motion sickness pills before you come. These are also not recommended for pregnant women.
Where do you race?
One criticism (if I have to name one) is the fact that you can’t choose anything about your races. You don’t have any control over which F1 team you “race” for, and you also don’t get to choose which tracks you’ll race at.
These simulators put you on current Formula 1 tracks around the world, and usually they’re the more famous ones (think: Silverstone, Suzuka, Monza, COTA, etc.). The tracks are randomly selected each race, but we didn’t find that they repeated too often in a session (when Elliot and I raced Head to Head, we raced on all different tracks).
Who “wins”?
For each race, you’ll basically just race for a set amount of time. Whoever is in front at the end of that set time “wins” the race, whether it’s you or an in-game driver. Each player is awarded points after each race — but the things you can earn points for are super varied, including for overtakes, finishing position, etc. The scoring is adjusted for the different skill levels, too, so even the Rookies can earn points. (We saw an older lady racing at a snail’s pace get points for spending the “most time on track;” it was adorable.)
If you’re doing Team Racing, one team will be dubbed the winner at the end of your session. Meanwhile, if you race Head to Head, you’ll each just earn a certain number of points by the end.
F1 Arcade uses a bespoke program utilizing racing simulation platform rFactor2. Their simulator rigs are also purpose-built for them.
Arcadian coins
Either way, the points you earn get converted into “Arcadian coins,” which you can spend within the F1 Arcade’s Arcadian Hub. Generally during a session you’ll earn enough points/coins to play the two additional in-venue games that are at every F1 Arcade. These games are React and Lights Out, both reaction time-testing games.
Food and drinks at the F1 Arcade
Each F1 Arcade also has a large bar space with an extensive food and drinks menu. We’ve tried quite a bit of the food over our two visits, and I won’t lie: it’s all really good!
So far, our favorites are their flatbreads, but there’s a lot to choose from, from wings to burgers to tacos to lots of shareable apps.
The drinks menu is also large, with wine and beer options, plus specialty cocktails that vary slightly depending on which F1 Arcade you’re at. All the specialty cocktails have Formula 1-related names, too, which is fun! Each F1 Arcade also has a specialty mocktail menu with “Designated Drivers” drinks that are also F1-themed.
Are F1 Arcades kid-friendly?
There are no height or weight restrictions for the simulators at any F1 Arcade, and yes, they are kid-friendly!
Kids 7 years old and older are welcome to race, though all kids under 14 need to be supervised by an adult at all times. There’s also a kids menu at the bar, and high chairs available.
Most F1 Arcades are kid-friendly until 9 p.m. (though the cutoff is 7 p.m. in both Las Vegas and Atlanta). After that time, the F1 Arcade has a strict 21+ age policy.
How much does the F1 Arcade cost?
Prices are charged per person, regardless of the style of racing you want to try. Rates for the US F1 Arcade locations start between $20 and $26 per person for racing during off-peak hours, but the price does go up during busy times (like weekend evenings) to anywhere from $30-$50 per person, depending on the location and how long you want to race.
In Europe, prices are similar, ranging from (the equivalent of) $25-$45 per person. Currently, the F1 Arcade in Las Vegas appears to be the most expensive one!
Other F1 Arcade events
Most F1 Arcades around the world offer rental spaces you can reserve for parties, and they all also offer special F1 race watch parties. These ticketed events include things like unlimited sim racing before the race, quizzes for prizes, and the races with commentary aired live on large TV screens.
Tickets for race watch parties vary in price, but it would be a fun way to watch a race with other fans.
F1 Arcade review: Is it worth it?
The big question is always… “yeah, but is it worth it?” And of course that’s subjective. If you’re not into Formula 1 or don’t like video games at all, then an F1 Arcade might not be much fun for you, especially if you’re paying $30+ to race for half an hour.
But as a social activity where you can try out sim racing, hang out with friends, and enjoy some food and drink in a fun F1 atmosphere? Yeah, I think it’s worth it. I’ve enjoyed both my visits to an F1 Arcade, and I’m sure I’ll visit more in the future!
Have you visited an F1 Arcade? If so, what did you think?
