--- title: "Grand Pro Circuit Looks Like the Retro F1 Racing Sim of Our Dreams" description: "With all the indie racing games out there, it can be difficult to stand out. But *Grand Pro Circuit*—which frankly could use a better name, I say in the kindest way possible—looks excellent. The trailer for this just dropped on…" date: "2025-12-10" modified: "2025-12-10" authors: - name: "Adam Ismail" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/adam-ismail" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/grand-pro-circuit-looks-like-the-retro-f1-racing-sim-of-our-dreams" categories: - "Culture" - "News" - "Video Games" --- # Grand Pro Circuit Looks Like the Retro F1 Racing Sim of Our Dreams ![Grand Pro Circuit screenshot]() *\Mascot Entertainment via Steam\* With all the indie racing games out there, it can be difficult to stand out. But *Grand Pro Circuit*—which frankly could use a better name, I say in the kindest way possible—looks excellent. The trailer for this just dropped on [Steam](), and I added it to my wishlist just on vibes alone. It's easy to look back at retro racing games and call them quaint and unserious, but developers were truly trying to move heaven and earth with the silicon available to them, and it's projects like *Grand Pro Circuit* that remind me of that. The graphics, for example, are certainly low in polygon count with crunchy textures and no anti-aliasing, but the result looks authentic and visceral, with wing mirrors shaking in the cockpit view, and sparks flying as the cars bottom out on straightaways. There are even fully animated pit crews! If Sega ever released a 3D Formula 1 game in arcades, perhaps on the Model 3 hardware that powered *Scud Race* and *[Daytona USA 2]()*, it probably would've looked something like *Grand Pro Circuit*, just a little blurrier. And part of why it works so well is the era of motorsport that it's attempting to convey. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyZNjwo\_hmY The cars here, clad in fake, amusing parodies of real sponsors, appear to be much like those of the mid-'80s. But back then, the closest F1 simulation you were going to get looked less like this and more like *Pole Position*. Even by the time Sega's *Super Monaco GP* dropped in 1989, with its gorgeous sprite work, 3D racing games were still only kicking off with innovators like *Hard Drivin'*. *Grand Pro Circuit*, then, feels like the F1 game the world deserved during one of the sport's most exciting eras, yet technology was still a decade or more away from delivering. ![]() ![]() ![]() It also commits to the bit. Clearly inspired by PC sim racing games from a quarter-century ago, *Grand Pro Circuit's* [Steam page]() even contains a video showcasing the game's *keyboard* controls. At the same time, we can observe tire, oil, and water temperatures onscreen, as well as fuel load, indicating this is going to be a bit deeper than the arcade experience some might expect from the game's aesthetic. I don't know how many people are going to be interested in that unique combination of modern complexity and retro sheen, but it's exactly what I'm looking for, so I'm very excited to see how this one shakes out. *Got a tip? Let us know at tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Adam is a Senior Editor at The Drive, concentrating on curating and developing the site's slate of daily journalism, from initial pitch to final copy edit. When he's not at his desk researching leads and working with writers, he's testing vehicles or reviewing racing games, new and old. He joined The Drive in 2023, following seven years of covering consumer technology and cars. A car lover and gamer since his earliest memories, Adam came to know the automotive world through video games. First it was Daytona USA, Sega Rally, and Ridge Racer; then came Need For Speed, which inspired an encyclopedic knowledge of '90s supercars, and, of course, Gran Turismo. If not for them, he'd assuredly be doing something else right now. Adam is based in the suburbs outside Philly, where there are ample roads for his hot hatch to stretch its legs. In his car, he's probably listening to indie rock, drum and bass, or Yankees baseball. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()