First 'F1 2012' trailer features young stars

There might not be any gameplay footage in F1 2012's first trailer, but it's chock full of driver endorsements.

One new feature in F1 2012 will be the Young Driver Test mode, in which players will learn how to handle the power of an F1 car and prove that they're good enough to make the step up as a team driver.

The first trailer features several real-world young drivers, currently plying their trade in the GP2 series, and a few of them reveal how Codemasters' F1 titles figure in their training.

"I've [been] playing a lot of the Formula 1 game to learn the tracks," admits Swiss wheelman Fabio Leimer.

Monaco's Stefano Coletti hopped onto the video game when his team's souped-up simulator wasn't available.

"When I got here it felt like I'd already driven [around Yas Marina circuit]. It was my first race in GP2, and I won, so it actually helped."

Where September's F1 2012 strives for greater accuracy and realism, Microsoft's Forza series appears to be heading in the other direction for this year at least, with Forza Horizon promising a more accessible entrance point.

Project C.A.R.S., meanwhile, aims for hardcore simulation, with those who put money down now able to play the PC's work-in-progress immediately.

F1 2012 - Games vs Reality: http://youtu.be/GgFKoGZRgKE

Official website: formula1-game.com