F1 25: 2026 Season Pack DLC – Is It Worth It?

With the arrival of the F1 25: 2026 Season Pack, Codemasters has broken a 17‑year streak of full annual releases, opting instead to deliver a downloadable add‑on rather than a complete game. The question now is whether this DLC will satisfy the franchise’s passionate fan base.

The Codemasters F1 series traces its roots back to 2009, when F1 2009 debuted on the Nintendo Wii and PlayStation Portable. That title foreshadowed the series’ return to PC the following year, after Sony chose not to renew its exclusive FIA licensing deal.

Since then, Codemasters has released a new F1 title every year, each featuring the latest circuits, teams, drivers and regulation changes. Some editions stood out—F1 2013 added classic cars as extras, F1 2021 introduced a fictional story mode, and F1 25 even incorporated a gameplay experience based on the film F1: The Movie starring Brad Pitt. Every entry has let players immerse themselves in a full Formula 1 season, whether racing alone on each track or managing the technical development of a team.

Following Electronic Arts’ acquisition of Codemasters in 2021, the series’ naming convention shifted from “F1 2021” to “F1 22,” “F1 23,” and so on. The release of the F1 25: 2026 Season Pack marks the second major change, breaking the tradition of full yearly titles in favor of a DLC. Codemasters explained that this move is part of a broader strategy to prepare for the launch of EA Sports F1, scheduled for 2027.

It appears Codemasters is attempting to replicate the model that worked for the DiRT Rally series—now branded EA Sports WRC (2023)—by turning it into a rally‑simulation service. The idea is to release a core game and then periodically add original DLCs that extend the title’s lifespan.

In a similar vein, a single Formula 1 title could host multiple seasons, allowing players to compete in championships that mirror the sport’s evolution over the years. Dreaming big is always free.

Unfortunately, this first foray into a game‑as‑a‑service format falls short. While it boasts every 2026 team, driver, and circuit, and introduces the new power‑unit and energy‑management regulations—an overhaul that shifted the internal combustion and electric power split from 80/20 to 50/50, the most radical change since the hybrid era began in 2014—the F1 25: 2026 Season Pack essentially acts as a sealed compartment within the base game.

For instance, players cannot use 2025 cars (whether F1 or F2) on the newly constructed Madrid circuit, yet the 2026 lineup does unlock Imola—though it has just been removed from the official calendar.

Forget the notion of pushing every lap to the limit— even during qualifying sessions. The strategy will vary dramatically from circuit to circuit. For instance, the 2026 championship kicks off in Australia before moving on to China.

The track layout, last updated in 2021, features a handful of medium‑speed corners. There are five full‑throttle sectors that typically end in tight, short turns, meaning we’re accelerating almost continuously—draining the battery to the brink—while braking sparingly, barely recharging it. This forces us to employ a lift‑and‑coast approach: easing off the throttle just before a corner and allowing the car to coast, while also switching the battery to a low‑power mode, much like a phone on 2 % battery at night.

If this isn’t executed correctly, we risk “super clipping,” a phenomenon where the electric motor suddenly cuts power, causing a sharp drop in top speed. That’s precisely what we need to break lap‑time records.

In stark contrast, the Shanghai circuit—boasting the calendar’s second‑longest straight at 1.17 km—will not suffer from energy shortages. Thanks to a series of medium‑speed turns that continuously recharge the battery, we can maintain Boost mode for almost the entire lap.