The Ultimate Guide to the "F1 2013 Player One Fix": Solving Controller & Keyboard Conflicts Published by: Codemasters Classics Support Archive Reading Time: 8 minutes For many racing fans, F1 2013 represents the golden era of the modern Formula 1 simulation. With its classic 1980s cars, the legendary "Young Driver Test," and the final game to feature the Korean and Indian Grands Prix, it remains a beloved title. However, a decade after its release, a notorious bug continues to plague new and returning players: The "Player One" bug. You’ve seen it. You launch the game, the intro plays perfectly, but the moment you reach the main menu, your controller is dead. The keyboard works, but your wheel, gamepad, or joystick is ignored by the game. You navigate to the controls menu, only to see the dreaded message: "Please reconnect the Player 1 controller." If you’ve been searching for the "F1 2013 Player One fix," you are not alone. This issue stems from modern Windows updates (Windows 10/11) and changes in DirectInput/XInput handling that didn’t exist back in 2013. Fortunately, there are proven solutions. This article will walk you through five methods, from simple driver checks to advanced third-party software. Let’s get you back on the grid.
Why Does the "Player One" Bug Happen? Before we fix it, understand the enemy. The bug occurs because F1 2013 was built for Windows 7 and the Xbox 360 controller standard (XInput 1.2). On modern systems:
Windows 10/11 changes how USB input devices are enumerated. The game often thinks a "virtual controller" (like vJoy, a keyboard ghost, or even your RGB software) is Player One. Steam Input conflicts. Steam has overridden the controller API. Multiple HID devices. Your racing wheel, pedals, and shifter are seen as three separate controllers, and the game picks the wrong one as "Player 1."
The game is literally looking for a controller ID that no longer exists as it expects. f1 2013 player one fix
Method 1: The "Disable Hidden Devices" Fix (Most Common) This is the solution that works for 70% of users. Windows often registers hidden game controllers (from old drivers, emulators, or even printer software) that confuse F1 2013 . Step-by-step:
Press Win + R , type joy.cpl , and press Enter. This opens the "Game Controllers" window. You will see a list of controllers. If you see anything other than your actual wheel/gamepad (e.g., "Controller (XBOX 360 For Windows)", "vJoy Device", "Virtual HID" etc.), proceed. Click on each device you do NOT want to use (keep only your main controller). Click "Properties" (or "Advanced"), then look for a button that says "Disable" or "Remove." (Note: On Windows 11, you may need to go to Device Manager instead). Alternative via Device Manager:
Right-click Start > Device Manager. Expand "Human Interface Devices" (HID). Look for anything labeled "HID-compliant game controller" that is not your main device. Right-click > Disable device (do not uninstall). The Ultimate Guide to the "F1 2013 Player
Restart your PC. Launch F1 2013 . The Player One error should vanish.
Pro Tip: If you use a racing wheel with separate pedals, make sure your wheel base is the "primary" controller in joy.cpl . You can use the "Advanced" tab to set a preferred device.
Method 2: Steam Input Override (For Steam Users) If you bought F1 2013 on Steam, the Steam Overlay might be hijacking the controller input. The game expects raw DirectInput, but Steam force-converts it to XInput. Here is the fix: You’ve seen it
Open Steam and go to your Library . Right-click F1 2013 > Properties . Click Controller on the left sidebar. Under "Override for F1 2013," change the dropdown from "Use default settings" to "Disable Steam Input." Now go to General Controller Settings (still in Steam) and uncheck every box: "Guide Button Focuses Steam," "Xbox Configuration," "PlayStation Configuration," "Generic GamePad Configuration." Launch the game via the .exe file directly (bypass Steam): Navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\F1 2013 and run F1_2013.exe as Administrator.
This forces the game to read the controller natively without Steam’s interference.