You can play F1 2020 on a keyboard. You will not be as fast as on a wheel, but with the right keys and the right assists you can race clean and have fun.
Here are the default keys, the layout I would change them to, and the assists to use.
F1 2020 default keyboard controls
| Action | Default key |
|---|---|
| Accelerate | A |
| Brake and reverse | Z |
| Steer left | , (comma) |
| Steer right | . (period) |
| Gear up | Space |
| Gear down | Left Shift |
| DRS | F |
| Pit limiter | F |
| Overtake (ERS) | M |
| Multi-function display (MFD) | Numpad 0 |
| Move in the MFD | Arrow keys |
| Flashback and replay | X |
| Next camera | C |
| Look back | End |
| Pause | Esc |
Every key can be changed. If one of them does not work like in the table, open the Controls screen and look at what your game has. The gear keys are the ones I would check first, because they are the ones people most often change.
To see or change the keys: press Esc in the car, or go to the options from the main menu, then Settings, Controls, Vibration and Force Feedback, select the keyboard and choose Edit Mappings.
Why I would change the default layout
The default layout puts the throttle and brake on A and Z and the steering on comma and period. It works, but your two hands sit in strange places and the MFD is far away on the arrows and the numpad.
I would do it like this.
| Action | Key I would use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Steer left / right | Left / Right arrow | Right hand only steers. Nothing else to think about |
| Accelerate | A | Left hand, ring finger |
| Brake | Z | Same finger moves down one row, so you never press both by mistake |
| Gear up / down | E / Q | Only if you drive manual. Next to the throttle finger |
| DRS | W | Middle finger, without leaving A |
| Overtake (ERS) | Left Shift | Little finger. You can hold it down a whole straight |
| MFD | Tab, then W A S D or the numpad | The arrows are now the steering, so the MFD needs other keys |
| Look back | 2 | Close to the left hand for the start and for defending |
The idea is simple. The right hand steers and does nothing else. The left hand has the throttle, the brake and everything you press on a straight.
Some people like the opposite: all four arrow keys for steering, throttle and brake, and the left hand only for DRS and the overtake button. That works too. The one thing I would avoid is throttle and brake on two keys you press with two different fingers of the same hand at the same time. On a keyboard you want to be on one or on the other.
The best assists for a keyboard
On a wheel or a pad you can press the throttle 30%. On a keyboard you cannot. The key is off or it is on. That is the whole problem, and the assists are the answer to it.
| Assist | Setting | Why on a keyboard |
|---|---|---|
| Traction control | Full | A key is 0% or 100% throttle. Without it the rear tyres spin at every exit |
| Anti-lock brakes | On | A key is 0% or 100% brake too. Without ABS you lock the fronts every time |
| Gearbox | Automatic | Two fewer keys to think about. Go manual later if you want the lap time |
| Braking assist | Off | It brakes too early and you never learn the braking points |
| Steering assist | Off | It fights you. On a keyboard it makes the car harder to place |
| Dynamic racing line | Corners only, 3D | It shows the braking point, which is the hardest thing to judge with a key |
| ERS assist | On at first | The game deploys the battery for you. One less key during the lap |
| DRS assist | On at first | It opens the wing in the zone. Turn it off when the rest feels natural |
| Pit assist and pit release assist | On | No reason to lose a race in the pit lane |
Normally I would tell you to take assists off as soon as you can. On a keyboard I would not say that for traction control and ABS. In a real car you spend years learning to feel the limit with your right foot. A key gives you nothing to feel. Keep those two on and put your work into lines and braking points.
All of them are explained in my F1 2020 assists and AI difficulty settings.
How to drive it on a keyboard
- Tap, do not hold. Steer with short, quick taps. A held key goes to full lock and the front tyres just slide. In a fast corner it is three or four small taps, not one long press.
- Brake in a straight line. Do all the braking before you turn. With an all or nothing brake, turning and braking together is how you spin, even with ABS.
- Lift before the brake. For a medium corner, often lifting off the throttle for a moment is enough. Not every corner needs the brake key.
- Tap the throttle on exit. Even with full traction control, two or three taps out of a slow corner are smoother than one hard press.
- Be early on everything. Turn in a little earlier, brake a little earlier. You have less precision, so give yourself room.
- Use the overtake button on exits, not at the end of the straight. The battery gives you the most when the car is still slow.
In F1 2020 the battery is simple. There are no ERS modes to cycle like in F1 2019. You have one overtake button, and the rest is automatic.
Setups for keyboard
A setup made for a wheel is often too nervous on a keyboard. Three changes help on any track:
- More rear wing, one or two clicks. A stable rear forgives a rough input.
- On throttle differential lower, around 60% to 70%. Better traction when the throttle arrives all at once.
- Brake pressure lower, around 85% to 90% if you drive without ABS.
Start from my F1 2020 setups and make those changes on top.
Keyboard, controller or wheel
Honest answer: if you have a controller in the house, use it. The triggers and the stick give you the half throttle and the half steering that a keyboard does not have. My F1 2020 controller settings are here.
If the keyboard is what you have, it is fine for career mode and for learning the tracks. The general advice in my F1 2020 tips applies on any device. For the next game, see the F1 2021 keyboard controls.
FAQ
Can you play F1 2020 with a keyboard?
Yes. The PC version has a full keyboard layout and every key can be changed. Use full traction control and ABS to make it driveable.
What are the default keyboard controls in F1 2020?
A to accelerate, Z to brake, comma and period to steer, F for DRS and the pit limiter, M for the overtake button and numpad 0 for the MFD.
How do I change the keyboard controls in F1 2020?
Go to Settings, then Controls, Vibration and Force Feedback, select the keyboard and choose Edit Mappings. Select an action and press the new key.
What assists should I use on a keyboard in F1 2020?
Full traction control, ABS on, automatic gearbox and the racing line in corners only. Leave the braking assist and the steering assist off.
What key is DRS in F1 2020 on PC?
F by default. The same key is the pit limiter.
How do I use ERS on a keyboard in F1 2020?
Hold the overtake key, M by default. F1 2020 has no ERS modes to select. With the ERS assist on, the game does it for you.
Is F1 2020 hard on a keyboard?
Harder than on a pad, because every input is all or nothing. With the assists above and short taps on the steering it is very playable against the AI.