Formula One Championship Edition is a developed by and published by exclusively for .
Formula One Championship Edition follows the , with 18 tracks, 11 teams and 22 drivers. Driver changes that happened during the real 2006 Formula One World Championship are also not included, such as leaving after the and replaced by and leaving after the and replaced by .
The game follows the basic structure of for the and . The main differences include the updated visuals for the PS3 including a lot more detail, compatibility, real time reflections, car reflections on wet circuits and new wet weather effects. Early in development the safety car was to be included in the game for the first time in an game since for the but was removed before the final release along with the wing mirror integration shown at .
The game also boasts dynamic weather, and improved . The AI system is called "Live Action Racing" where one can pressure the opposition, causing them to make little mistakes such as running wide on corners, causing them to crash into other cars or spin off the road of their own accord. The AI will then try to seek opportunities to pass the player in a realistic manner.
The game is based on the early . Hence, drives for when in reality he lost his just 4 races into the '06 Formula One World Championship, and , then later took his seat. Other minor changes throughout the real 2006 Formula One World Championship are also not represented, therefore , . , Franck Montagny and Sakon Yamamoto are not featured. Also, the team are not re-branded as Spyker in later Grands Prix in the game.
In the career mode, players begin by running tests for one of three teams (, Super Aguri or ) at either the Silverstone, Magny Cours or Catalunya circuits. The tests given vary between the teams. When the player successfully completes the tests, they are given the role of test driver or race driver, depending on how well the player performed in the test. After performing well as a test driver, the player will become the second driver of the team. From there the player can compete in race weekends through many different roles. As a test driver the player will try out different car settings in practice, and as a driver the player will have track position targets to meet to keep the seat. The player's performances are subject to review at several points during the season.
