F1 23: Controls Guide for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One

Learning the controls of F1 23 is one of the first steps towards challenging Max Verstappen for the title in this year’s Formula 1 game. No matter whether you’re using a racing wheel or a controller in F1 23, the default controls will be automatically assigned.

Below is our guide on exactly what the controls are assigned to in F1 23, along with how to correctly calibrate your controller or racing wheel and how to change the button mapping in F1 23.

F1 23 controls on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One

When racing F1 23 across different consoles such as PS5 or Xbox Series X|S, the default control inputs should remain the same. The triggers on a controller will always control the brake and throttle, and the face buttons will be mapped to control the same in-game inputs. Below are the default button mapping configurations for F1 23 on all consoles.

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F1 23 PS4/PS5 controls

Below are the default controls in F1 23 when using a Dualsense controller on PlayStation 4 and PS5.

• Accelerate – R2
• Brake – L2
• Reverse – L2
• Steer Left – Left Stick
• Steer Right – Left Stick
• Pause – Options
• Gear Up – X
• Gear Down – Square
• Clutch – X
• Overtake – Circle
• Next Camera – R1
• Camera Free Look – Right Stick
• Look Back – R3
• Replay/Flashback – TouchPad
• DRS – Triangle
• Pit Limiter – Triangle
• Radio Commands – L1
• Multi-Function Display – D-Pad
• Push to Talk – D-Pad
• MFD Menu Up – Up
• MFD Menu Down – Down
• MFD Menu Right – Right
• MFD Menu Left – Left

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F1 23 Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One controls

Below is the default button mapping when using an Xbox controller in F1 23 on both the Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One.

• Accelerate – RT
• Brake – LT
• Reverse – LT
• Steer Left – Left Stick
• Steer Right – Left Stick
• Pause – Menu
• Gear Up – A
• Gear Down – X
• Clutch – A
• Overtake – B
• Next Camera – RB
• Camera Free Look – Right Stick
• Look Back – R3
• Replay/Flashback – View
• DRS – Y
• Pit Limiter – Y
• Radio Commands – LB
• Multi-Function Display – D-Pad
• Push to Talk – D-Pad
• MFD Menu Up – Up
• MFD Menu Down – Down
• MFD Menu Right – Right
• MFD Menu Left – Left

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F1 23 PC Controls

When racing F1 23 on PC, the default button inputs will vary depending on the controller or input method you’re using. If you are racing using a PS5 Dualsense controller or an Xbox controller, the button mapping above will apply.

If you’re playing F1 23 with a keyboard, the default button mapping will be;

• Accelerate – A
• Brake – Z
• Reverse – Z
• Steer Left – ,
• Steer Right – .
• Pause – Esc
• Gear Up – Space
• Gear Down – Shift
• Clutch – Space
• Overtake – M
• Next Camera – C
• Look Forward – Home
• Look Back – End
• Look Left – Delete
• Look Right – PgDn
• Replay/Flashback – X
• DRS – F
• Pit Limiter – F
• Radio Commands – T
• Multi-Function Display – Num. 0
• Push to Talk – S
• MFD Menu Up – Up Arrow
• MFD Menu Down – Down Arrow
• MFD Menu Right – Right Arrow
• MFD Menu Left – Left Arrow

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F1 23 racing wheel controls

Depending on the racing wheel you are using, the default button mapping will be different. Many racing wheels will require you to create a completely custom button mapping the first time you connect them to F1 23.

However, some racing wheels that are widely compatible with console and PC will often have preset button mapping applied. Below are the typical controls for a racing wheel in F1 23

View the best racing wheels for F1 23

• Accelerate – Throttle Pedal
• Brake – Brake Pedal
• Steer Left – Steering Wheel Turned Left
• Steer Right – Steering Wheel Turned Right
• Pause – Start/Menu
• Gear Up – Right Paddle Shifter
• Gear Down – Left Shifter Paddle
• Clutch – Clutch Pedal
• Overtake – X/A
• Next Camera – R3
• Camera Free Look – Funky Switch (If your wheel has one)
• Look Back – R2
• Replay/Flashback – Select/View
• DRS – L2
• Pit Limiter – L2
• Radio Commands – Square/X
• Multi-Function Display – O/B
• MFD Menu Control – D-Pad

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How to configure your button mapping in F1 23

Whichever controller or input you are using, you will have the ability to change the button mapping configuration to a completely custom layout. This allows you to assign specific inputs to control different elements within F1 23.

If you’re using a racing wheel for example, you may have a range of encoders or buttons on the steering wheel which aren’t being used. These can be set to change elements such as your brake bias and your ERS mode from a single input.

To customise your button mapping in F1 23;

1. Go to the settings menu from the main menu or the in-game pause menu.
2. Then head into the ‘Controls, Vibration and Force Feedback’ settings.
3. Choose the controller profile that you are using or create a new one to start from scratch.
4. Scroll up and down the button mapping list to find the input you wish to assign.
5. Click on the input.
6. Then press the new input on your racing wheel or controller that you wish to assign.
7. Once happy, exit this screen and be sure to save your controller profile.

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How to change force feedback in F1 23

Much like changing your button inputs using the settings, you can also adjust your force feedback and controller vibration to customise how you controller or racing wheel behaves while racing in F1 23. This can also be done in the same ‘Controls, Vibration and Force Feedback’ menu.

1. Head into the settings.
2. Click into the ‘Controls, Vibration and Force Feedback’ settings.
3. Choose ‘Vibration and force feedback’ to enter the force feedback settings.
4. Make adjustments to your force feedback settings.
5. Exit this menu and exit the controls menu. Remember to save your controller profile while exiting.

Your new settings will change how the force feedback behaves as you drive in F1 23. You can increase specific parts of the force feedback to produce extra force at different points on the track.

Read our complete F1 23 force feedback guide for the best force feedback settings.

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How to calibrate your racing wheel

If you are racing F1 23 with a wheel, one of the first things you’ll want to do is calibrate it. This will ensure that it is working correctly in game, and that all inputs are working.

It will also allow you to adjust some settings to fine-tune how your steering wheel and pedals perform in game. You can also calibrate a controller if you are using an Xbox or PlayStation controller in F1 23.

Once you are in the controller calibration menu, the first thing I’d recommend you do is to perform a button test. This will let you test each input to ensure it is being recognised in game.

Once you have performed a button test and are happy that your controller or racing wheel is fully working, you can then head into the calibration settings to fine-tune your inputs.

The calibration settings let you adjust settings in F1 23 such as deadzone and linearity. These will adjust how the physical inputs from your wheel, pedals or controller are applied in F1 23.

Below is a step-by-step guide on how to correctly calibrate your controller or racing wheel in F1 23;

1. Head into the settings menu.
2. Then open the ‘Controls, Vibration and Force Feedback’ menu.
3. Finally, click into the ‘Calibration’ menu.
4. Start the button test by pressing the button that is shown on screen. This is often the select button on controllers.
5. You’ll see some bars on the right of the screen. Rotate your steering wheel 180 degrees to the right, and then to the left. You should see the bars change from 180 degrees to -180. This indicates your steering is set up correctly.
6. Next, press both the brake and throttle pedal to 100%. You should see the bars change from 0 to 100.
7. If you can’t reach 100 with both pedals, or you can’t reach 180 with your steering wheel, you’ll need to adjust your calibration settings to fix this.

There are three settings that you can adjust for each main input. These are the deadzone, the saturation and the linearity. Each of these will change the calibration of your input in different ways.

Deadzone

The deadzone changes the deadzone at the start of an input movement. Increasing this will mean you’ll have to push your brake, throttle or turn your steering wheel more before any input is registered in game.

This is useful if your car feels wobbly or twitchy along a straight, or if your brake or throttle pedal aren’t showing as 0 during the button test while nothing is being pressed.

Saturation

The saturation is almost the opposite of the deadzone. This affects the amount of input that is required to reach 100% in-game input. Increasing this will lower the amount you need to apply an input before hitting 100%.

This is useful if you have a stiff brake pedal and can’t reach 100% pressure when fully depressing it. Increasing the brake saturation will lower the threshold for applying 100% in-game brake input.

Linearity

The linearity setting adjusts the input curve of your throttle, brake and steering. Increasing this will adjust the linearity to be more detailed at the start of the input and less detailed towards the end.

This means that for example, 50% physical input could only apply 30% in-game input. This will increase the amount of control you have at the start of the brake or throttle travel and is useful for those struggling with managing wheel spin.

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Overview

Using the above references for the default button mapping in F1 23 should give you good headstart to learning how to race in F1 23.

Experimenting with different button configurations and calibration settings can make your F1 23 experience more enjoyable. Mapping different inputs on your racing wheel or controller can make controlling certain areas of your car mid-race easier to access. A good button mapping is all about making you feel as comfortable as possible in F1 23.

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