There’s no new Formula 1 game coming in 2026. With EA and Codemasters working on a completely rebuilt experience for the future of the franchise, it was decided to hold off on a full release this year. Instead, Codemasters has released the F1 25: 2026 Season Pack to hold players over until next year.
Available for $25 or $30, depending on the platform, the 2026 Season Pack includes new cars for this season, new race teams, and the brand-new Madring circuit. But is it worth picking up, or are you better off just waiting for the next game in a year?
F1 25: 2026 Season Pack Impressions
The biggest thing to know about the season pack is that it introduces all of the new regulations for 2026. With the smaller and lighter cars, you feel like you can be more aggressive, while also being more strategic than the 2025 and older cars.
The new Overtake Mode, which is available when within a second of the car in front of you, adds more thought to timing your move up the field. Active aerodynamics, the other major change to gameplay, comes in two modes: Straight and Cornering. Choosing what state to be in and when can make the difference between a podium finish and ending in the middle of the pack.
Battery management has also become a more important factor. During longer races, you’ll find yourself having to conserve power to make sure you can get to the finish. While you can play with assists that automate everything, turning them off makes the on-track experience the best an F1 game has had in years.
For the first time in a video game, the Madring circuit is available to race on. To put it bluntly, it’s one of the most challenging circuits you’ll drive. It features 22 corners and multiple elevation changes, including NASCAR-like banking. It’s also a hybrid circuit, featuring a mix of traditional track and public road.
The new Cadillac and Audi teams are also introduced with the pack, bringing the list of teams to 11. All of the drivers are accurate to their team as well.
A Segregated Offering
Though the additions with the F1 25: 2026 Season Pack are nice placeholders for fans waiting on next year’s game, there are some frustrations.
Because of how different they are, the 2026 cars introduced in the pack are only available in certain modes. You can’t race them in ranked multiplayer, F1 World Series, or even a Co-op Career. If you want to use them for your single-player driver or team career, you’ll need to start a brand new save. The Madring circuit is also only available for the 2026 cars.
For fans who want to get a current experience but may not own F1 25 yet, it may come as a disappointment to find out that content in the game with the new season pack is so segregated. When you think about it, it makes sense from a technical standpoint, but that doesn’t mean players will like it.
If you primarily play online ranked races or are far into your established career, this pack isn’t going to do much for you, especially at the price. However, if you’re eager to get a feel for what the future will be like on the circuit and don’t mind starting things over, the feeling of the 2026 cars is unlike anything you’ve driven before. That alone can make it worth it for diehard fans.
In other news, read about what mode will be a part of Backyard Baseball when it launches on July 9. And for even more Insider Gaming delivered directly to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.
Mike has been covering the gaming industry since 2012, and has reported on some of the largest events in the industry while also working as an investigative reporter. Outside of…
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