I still play F1 2011 so forgive me if some of the things I've listed are in 2012/2013.....
Mirrors
If Codemasters only change one thing for 2014 please please let it be mirrors that are actually useful! Formula 1 drivers don't press a button on their wheel that magically shows them whats happening behind, they use their mirrors. The mirrors at the moment are useless unless the car behind is right behind you.
DRS
In real F1, drivers get a beep in their ear when DRS is available to them. In the game we are simply pressing the button hoping that DRS is available, and you cannot use it illegally.
Engineer
Now I'm no game developer, but surely its not that difficult to record heaps of talking from the engineer so we don't have to hear the same thing over and over again! The engineer should be constantly giving us information, but useful, in depth and accurate information. Also, as I like to race with no OSD, it would be nice if the team told me from time to time what lap it was. And, it would be great if the engineer could use our name! We could just choose from a list of names that the engineers uses for us. If our name isn't there, just select an option that is generic. Not a necessity but just kind of cool.
Media Interactions
I've heard that these were taken out of 2012 and 2013 and I cannot understand why. There is so much more to be a Formula 1 driver than driving from the green light to the chequered flag. Interviews need to be more regular, and less predictable. Interviews in a range of places though: On the podium, in the paddock, on the grid, in the interview centre or whatever they call it. (and all in first person) But however good they are, interviews are a must for F1 2014!
Cutscenes
Cutscenes are fantastic, but they really need to be in first person. Just like you get a first person view in the car, you should get the same view when talking to your engineer, or arguing with a driver. There's actually no need to be able to make a character in my opinion because you should be just seeing out of your own eyes. There needs to be more of these as well.
Weather
Way way way too much grip at the moment in the rain! I race an open wheeler in real life and its basically constantly out of control in the rain (and you cannot see anything at all). You drive with your fingertips and with split second reactions, in the game its not even that different to the dry, and I don't think the AI even slow down! Which brings me to my next point.....
AI
You know what... forget the mirrors. If Codemasters change one thing for 2014 it needs to be the AI. I don't race online as I don't have the time, I just do career mode. I basically have to let the AI through for them to pass me. If I block, they should dive to the outside. When I brake, they should try to outbrake me. If I'm down the inside, they should squeeze me over. (but not off the track) They just need to be more aggressive! But aggressive doesn't mean drilling you off the track like the AI did in Race Driver 3.
DIY-Drive it yourself!
When its time to race, I should drive out the garage, down pit lane, around to the grid and park. Then do a warm up lap, and
control the start by myself. The starts in Formula 1 are so important, so why is the computer controlling it? Then when it comes to a pit stop, please let me slow down by myself, hit my own speed limiter, go down the pit lane, and drive into my own pit box. Again, such an important part of racing yet we don't get to experience it. At the end of the race, do a cool down lap, some burnouts if I want, and into parc ferme.
Pre Grid
Just on that last point, after I've driven out of the garage and I'm on the grid I should get out the car (in first person) and sit there or whatever. Walk around and talk to Martin Brundle for an interview. Have my photo taken. This definitely needs to be skippable but it would just add to the whole immersion factor.
Career
Ok, now in F1 2011, all I did was click career mode and I got offered 5 contracts - including Williams and Force India. Now yes, some drivers start their careers in these teams, but they come with a LOT of financial backing. We should really be starting from Caterham or Marussia and working up from there. (Or 3rd driver in a higher team) Yes 3rd driver, this needs to be in F1 2014! You could be a test driver in F1 2006 if I remember rightly and it got annoying when you couldn't get a race drive but guess what, welcome to motor racing! But, just clicking career mode and jumping into the Australian Grand Prix seems a bit odd to me. (yes I know you do the Young Driver Test in 2012 and 2013) Any aspiring racer knows how long your career is before you get to Formula 1. I think we should at least get a taste of this in F1 2014. Maybe just GP3 and GP2, but the more lower categories the better. They wouldn't have to be perfectly licensed with teams and drivers just let the cars feel pretty close to that series. Maybe Formula Ford, Formula Renault 2.0 / 3.5, GP3, GP2, etc. Also, now that this is Codemasters 5th year of Formula 1, why can't we have a 5 year career (in Formula 1, after completing some lower categories) beginning in 2010, with all the 2010 cars and tracks, and progressing through to 2014. This way we could experience rule changes, driver changes, track changes and performance changes. I don't know what the deal is with licensing but it was done in F1 Challenge more than 10 years ago so surely it could be done now?
Damage and mechanical problems
In 2001, Geoff Crammond's Grand Prix 4 had plenty of mechanical problems of which both you and the AI could receive. Over a decade on, all we get is DRS not working from time to time?! Er, have Codemasters ever watched a Formula 1 race? All the cars have mechanical issues at some point, and some teams are more prone to it than others. And damage, well, if I touch the car in front there should be consquences. This is open wheel racing not touring car racing. The damage needs to be a lot better, and a lot more punishsing. Yes its annoying, and yes it needs to be on a sliding scale for those of us who just want some arcade style fun. But for those of us who want a decent F1 sim, the damage needs to be a load better. Including wheels hanging from the suspension, which I don't think I've ever seen on a game, just wheels coming off (which lets be honest, doesn't happen all that often. They usually just kinda hang and flop around)
Historics
Personally, I'm not interested in this, but there are plenty of people who are. In my opinion, it just needs to be optional as it was in 2013
Commentary
I guess commentary could be optional. Personally, I want to see and hear what an F1 driver sees and hears - not commentary! However, while outside of the car, maybe we could hear ambient commentary like you do at the actual race track.
FP1 and 2
Not sure why we don't have these at the moment but we should. I usually just jump into Qually but some of us want practice so we should get all 3 sessions. And with the split qualifying, why do we get in the car for every session? Drivers stay in their cars until they get knocked out or until they are finished, not in the 5 minutes between sessions.
A bit more immersion
We get a first person view getting in the cars, so we should be able to say if we want to get out of the car in practice / qualifying. Then we can just stand in the garage until we want to get back in the car. Also, we could walk down pit lane, onto our team's computers and whatever. These aren't necessities, but they just add to the immersion factor.
Voice Recognition
Not at all expecting this for 2014, but for years to come this would be really cool if it was done well. All our smart phones have voice recognition these days, so why can't games? This way we could actually interact with our engineer while racing, as well as the media. This would be a fantastic selling point to young karters who need to learn how to do interviews too!
The Bottom Line
At the end of the day, we have to ask ourselves - Why do we play these games? The answer - because we are not Formula 1 drivers, and we want to discover their world and live it for ourselves! Everything just needs to be as realistic and as immersive as possible! Please Codemasters...... make this one amazing!!!!! I don't mind waiting until November or December for F1 2014 if it is going to be seriously good!
Just a side note for us PC users....... it would be great if we could use the mouse! It's a bit annoying have to go through the menus with a keyboard when I use a wheel to race.