August 6th, 10:00 – London, UK – Codemasters today announced a brand new game mode for F1 2012. ‘Champions Mode’ will enable players to take on each of the six FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONS competing in the 2012 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™ in individual race scenarios designed for quick play and instant action.

F1 2012’s Champions Mode will challenge players to take on each of the six champions in turn, starting with Kimi Räikkönen, followed by Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso and then Michael Schumacher. Each champion has his own race scenario where the player must beat that driver in order to unlock the next challenge.

The Kimi Räikkönen challenge sees the player join a race as Kimi’s teammate at Spa Francorchamps. The player has just pitted and is on new tyres while the rest of the pack is on worn rubber with three laps to go until the end of the race. In order to complete the scenario the player has to race through the pack and overtake Kimi before the end of the race.

Champions Mode will be playable for the first time at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany from August 15th to 19th on the NamcoBandai booth in Hall 9, Booth C11.

F1 2012 will launch in September for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION ®3 computer entertainment system and PC. F1 2012 will feature all of the official teams, drivers and circuits from the 2012 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, including the debut of the 2012 FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX at Austin, Texas and the return of Germany’s famous Hockenheim circuit to the calendar.