F1 25 is not getting replaced by a separate F1 26 this year, and now players can see why. EA SPORTS has launched the 2026 Season Pack worldwide, turning last year’s game into the home for Formula 1’s biggest rule shake-up in years.
The update brings the new cars, updated regulations, refreshed driver line-ups, Audi and Cadillac, and the all-new MADRING circuit into F1 25. For players who already own the game, this is the main way to step into the 2026 season without waiting for a new annual release.
The 2026 season is one of the biggest changes Formula 1 has had in a long time, so this pack is not just a roster refresh. The cars have been redesigned around the new rules, which means players should expect a different feel on track instead of simply seeing new liveries on familiar machinery.
That is because racing games live or die by how different cars feel once the lights go out. A new regulation era should change braking, energy use, straight-line speed, cornering rhythm, and how players manage a race across a full stint.
EA is using the pack to make F1 25 feel like it has moved with the real sport, not just updated a menu screen.
The arrival of Audi and Cadillac changes the shape of the grid, while the refreshed driver line-ups give Career and My Team players a new starting point.
The biggest new track addition is MADRING, the Madrid circuit that joins the game before its real-world race debut. That gives players a chance to learn the layout early, experiment with braking points, and figure out where overtakes might happen before Formula 1 reaches the venue in real life.
That is one of the smartest parts of the pack. It lets the game become a preview of the real calendar, not just a reaction to it.
The 2026 content is available across several modes, including Driver Career, My Team, Grand Prix, Time Trial, split-screen, and unranked multiplayer.
Career and My Team players will need to start fresh saves to access the new season. That may frustrate anyone attached to an existing 2025 save, but it also makes sense because the new rules, calendar, cars, and expanded grid change too much to simply fold into an old file.
In My Team, players join the grid as a 12th team, which should make the mode feel more crowded and more interesting from the start.
The launch is also important because EA is changing its usual rhythm. Instead of releasing F1 26 as a separate game, the company is using this paid expansion to carry F1 25 through the 2026 season while the next full entry is planned for 2027.
That is a big shift for an annual sports series. It gives EA more time to work on the next full game, while still giving players the official 2026 season content now.
Players who do not already own F1 25 can buy the 2026 Season Edition, which includes the base game and the new season content together. For existing players, the Season Pack is the direct route into Formula 1’s new era.
