Formula Next Manager

Formula Next Manager – Manage your F1 team to success in 1990

Formula Next Manager is a strategy management game for the ZX Spectrum Next where you take charge of a Formula 1 team during the 1990 season.

Inspired by the 1985 ZX Spectrum classic Formula One by CRL Group PLC, the game puts you in the role of team director rather than a driver. Your job is to make the decisions that shape the season: hire drivers, manage money, prepare cars, follow race weekends, and try to climb the championship standings.

This is a tribute to one of my favourite games from the original ZX Spectrum era, rebuilt with love for the Spectrum Next.

About The Game

In Formula Next Manager, you are responsible for running a Formula 1 team across a full season. Success is not only about having the fastest car. You need to balance performance, reliability, driver quality, race preparation, and your team’s finances.

Before the season begins, you choose your difficulty level, select a team, and hire your drivers. Each team has different strengths in areas such as engine, chassis, tyres, and crew. Drivers also have different abilities and salary demands, so building the right combination is an important part of the challenge.

The game includes

  • 10 teams and 30 drivers to pick from the 80-90’s era.
  • 16 races per season.
  • Two drivers per team
  • Qualifying and race highlights.
  • Changeable weather during race.
  • Upgrade your team between seasons.
  • Save and load your game.
  • Driver and Constructor Championships.


Race Weekends

Each Grand Prix follows a race weekend structure. You prepare your cars picking tyres depending on weather, go through qualifying, and then watch the race unfold through simulated results and race highlights. At any time you can call for any of you cars to enter the pit. Your cars will automatically pit when a driver experience car problems.

After each race you receive:

  • Race results
  • Championship points
  • Financial report
  • Prize money and costs

Your choices over the season affect your team’s performance, reliability, and ability to stay competitive.

End Of Season

At the end of the season, Formula Next Manager presents a full season summary, including the final Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship standings, Grand Prix winners, and your own team’s results across the year.

You then prepare for the next season by choosing whether to increase the difficulty and invest in upgrades for your team. Better engines, chassis, tyres, and crew can give you an edge, but every upgrade costs money.

Built For ZX Spectrum Next

Formula Next Manager is built for the ZX Spectrum Next and designed to feel like a classic Spectrum management game with a modern Next touch. The focus is on clear screens, quick decisions, season progression, and that “just one more race” feeling.

Updates and changelogs

2026-07-13

v0.9

First beta release of full game. Feel free to download the game and test it. 

Download beta for testing

Here are two download links for .nex files that you can test. One is built for the original ZX Spectrum Next and one for the CSpect emulator.

Version 0.9:

Formaula Next Manager (Next machine)

Formaula Next Manager (CSpect emulator)

 

If you would like to develop ZX Spectrum Next games using a code agent, you can download the two files I’ve used while developing my game. The archive contains a AGENTS.MD file and a zx-next-development-guide.md file that your agen can use – https://www.gostworks.com/agents-and-dev-guide

Below are some screen shots from the game.