F1 2021 – Crashing at startup – Game won’t launch – How to fix

F1 2021 crashing and won’t launch – Codemasters is back with another F1 title, F1 2021. The game is now available on all major gaming platforms. But there is a problem. The game is crashing for a lot of PC users. And for some, it won’t even launch. Here is a troubleshooting guide that would help you fix some of the errors.

F1 2021 – Crashing at startup – Game won’t launch – How to fix

F1 2021 has to be one of the most anticipated titles of 2021. After the huge success of F1 2020, fans of the F1 franchise were eagerly waiting for this release, with their steering wheels by their side. It is the fourteenth title in the F1 series by Codemasters and the first in the series published by Electronic Arts under its EA Sports division since F1 Career Challenge in 2003.

So what is new in F1 2021? The game introduces a brand-new mode called Braking Point. And it is a story mode. This story mode is set across three seasons: 2019 in Formula 2, 2020 in Formula One, and 2021 in Formula One as well. Here is what Codemasters had to say regarding this mode:

Immerses players into the glamorous world of Formula One, giving a taste of the lifestyle both on and off the track: the rivalries, emotion, and dedication needed to compete at the highest level.

The information given above should give you a basic idea of the game. Now, let’s talk about how the game performs on the PC or Windows platform. Since we saw a lot of players complaining about crashes and launch issues on the forums. We decided to put up a guide mentioning some steps to fix them.

Have you checked the system requirements of F1 2021?

And are you sure that your PC is capable enough to handle F1 2021. Take a quick glance at the official system requirements.

# MINIMUM RECOMMENDED
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS Windows 10 64-bit (Version 1709) | For Ray Tracing: Windows 10 64-bit (Version 2004) Windows 10 64-bit (Version 1709) | For Ray Tracing: Windows 10 64-bit (Version 2004)
PROCESSOR Intel Core i3-2130 or AMD FX 4300 Intel Core i5 9600K or AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
MEMORY 8 GB RAM 16 GB RAM
GRAPHICS NVIDIA GTX 950 or AMD R9 280 | For Ray Tracing: GeForce RTX 2060 or Radeon RX 6700 XT NVIDIA GTX 1660 Ti or AMD RX 590 | For Ray Tracing: GeForce RTX 3070 or Radeon RX 6800
DIRECTX Version 12 Version 12
STORAGE 80 GB available space 80 GB available space
SOUND CARD DirectX Compatible DirectX Compatible

Requirements are quite high for a racing title, to be honest. But then again, it does bring in next-gen graphics. Intel i5 9600K paired with a 1660 ti and 16 GB RAM, is what you need to play the game at 1080p 60 fps. Which is the type of performance most of you are aiming for, I am sure.

Windows 10 64-bit (Version 1709) is required

There you go. Another title that doesn’t support Windows 7 or 8.1. Windows 10 64-bit is mandatory. And the version should be at least 1709. 2004, if you are looking to use ray-tracing.

If you don’t know how to check your Windows build, then all you have to do is:

  1. Press Windows+R keys on your keyboard
  2. Type winver and press enter

Your build details will pop up in a small window. It should look something like this:

Update OS

If you are using an old Windows 10 build, then it is time that you update your OS.

  1. Go to Settings
  2. Go to Update & Security
  3. Click on Check for updates
  4. Wait for the updates to get installed
  5. Restart your PC

Get the latest driver specifically optimized for F1 2021

A lot of people are getting an error message whenever they are trying to launch the game on an old GPU driver. The message goes something like this:

The installed graphics driver is older than the newest version. You want to continue?

If you are getting this error message as well. Then let me tell you, both Nvidia and AMD have dropped video drivers that specifically optimized for F1 2021. Download and install them. Here are the links:

Do you have DirectX 12 installed?

One of the biggest technical details about F1 2021, that a lot of people seem to have missed, is that F1 2021 runs only on the DirectX 12 API. If you have anything other than DX 12, then you are out of luck here. In order to check the DirectX version on your system:

  1. Press Windows+R keys on your keyboard
  2. Type “dxdiag” inside the box and press Enter
  3. The DirectX Diagnostic Tool will pop up
  4. Make sure you are on the System tab, look at the bottom of the System Information list. You should see your DirectX version there

If it is DirectX 12 then you can move further into this guide. If it is not, then you already have your answer. You can try downloading and installing the latest DirectX version from here. And see if that works out for you.

Launch the game directly through the .exe file

Instead of launching the game via Steam, just visit the folder where you have installed F1 2021. And launch the game directly by double-clicking on the executable or .exe file of F1 2021.

Try turning off Windows Defender or other Anti-virus software in your system

The AV software on your system might be giving false positives and preventing the game from starting. Turn it off. To turn off Windows Defender, follow the steps below:

  1. Open Start.
  2. Open Settings
  3. Click Update & Security
  4. Click Windows Security. This tab is in the upper-left side of the window.
  5. Click Virus & threat protection
  6. Click Virus & threat protection settings
  7. Disable Windows Defender’s real-time scanning
  8. Set game priority to high
  9. Turn off any overlays

Install the latest Microsoft Visual Studio

Please try downloading and installing the latest version of Visual C++ redistributable, as there’s a chance it hasn’t been installed correctly.


This article is still being updated. More troubleshooting methods coming soon…


If you think that this guide has helped you, then let us know in the comment section below. Also, try checking out our other guides on F1 2021. Who knows, you might end up finding a something you have been looking for.


That’s all folks!

Last Updated on July 16, 2021

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