: Drop the extracted steam_api.dll file into the main game folder. Choose Replace when prompted.
: Delete the XML files in this folder. This forces the game to re-detect your hardware and can sometimes "unstick" the name field. 🏁 How to Verify the Change Once the files are installed or workarounds applied: Launch F1 2013 . Navigate to My F1 > Driver Information > Driver Details . You should now be able to select the Name fields. Type your name using the Keyboard and press Enter . Check that Autosave is triggered (a spinning icon appears).
: During the first launch, just accept "Player One" and move past the initial setup.
Carefully type over the letters with your new name. Do not add or delete bytes. Your new name must have the exact same character count as the old name. If your new name is shorter, use null bytes ( 00 in the hex pane) to fill the remaining spaces. f1 2013 name change fix install
Here is how to fix the name change bug using either a community mod or the in-game workaround.
If your game crashes right when you try to apply the name fix, it is a folder permission error.
F1 2013 remains a fan-favorite entry in Codemasters’ racing series, thanks to its classic cars and balanced physics. However, many players encounter a persistent bug: the game keeps resetting their driver name back to a default (e.g., “Player,” “F1 Driver,” or a garbled string) every time they restart the game. This “name change” issue is especially common after installing mods, replacing database files, or using cracked executables. Fortunately, the fix is straightforward. : Drop the extracted steam_api
attempt this fix with a cracked or pirated copy. The registry paths are different, and the process will fail.
Take the extracted (and/or the accompanying .ini configuration file if present).
Delete the entire 223670 folder (this is the specific app ID for F1 2013). This forces the game to re-detect your hardware
How to Fix and Install the F1 2013 Name Change Bug ("Player One" Glitch)
When F1 2013 was released in 2013, the game relied on . This Microsoft service handled cloud saves, achievements, and profile names. In 2014, Microsoft officially killed GFWL. Codemasters later patched F1 2013 to use Steamworks, but the patch was imperfect.