Coming back to EA’s Formula 1 game in 2026 requires a brief stop at the naming department. The current-season content is sold as the F1 25: 2026 Season Pack, while the F1 25: 2026 Season Edition combines that content with the base game. Both launched on June 3. Existing F1 25 owners need the pack for the new season; newcomers have the combined edition as an option. [1]
That is worth establishing before discussing the cars. A player looking for the current grid should be able to tell whether they are buying an expansion or buying the underlying game again. The number on the original title is no longer enough information.
Our interest is what the change means for a returning PC player. This is an examination of EA’s published features and update notes, rather than a verdict based on driving the new cars.
A new season needs a new save
EA’s May feature breakdown says the 2026 content requires a new save. The accompanying conditions specify that 2025 career saves and custom teams do not transfer into the 2026 season. The pack also requires the base game and its updates, with an internet connection needed for certain content. [2]
For some players, starting over will be part of the attraction. A new grid is an opportunity to choose a different team and create a different career story. For someone attached to a long-running save, however, that is a meaningful boundary rather than a minor installation detail.
It is worth deciding which experience you want before buying anything. If the appeal is continuing the career you already care about, new seasonal content is not automatically a substitute. If the appeal is learning a changed field from the beginning, the reset may suit the project.
The rules should change the decisions
The Season Pack introduces the 2026 cars and regulations, Audi and Cadillac, and Madrid’s MADRING circuit. EA says the Madrid track is available with the 2026 cars rather than the older season’s vehicles. Its feature material also describes changes to the systems used for managing energy and overtaking. [1][2]
A racing update becomes interesting when those differences alter a decision the driver makes. Choosing where to attack, when to spend a limited resource, and how to respond to the car ahead are more substantial reasons to learn a new season than a revised sponsor decal.
That does not mean the older game becomes worthless. Familiarity can be a reason to keep driving a season you enjoy. The useful question for an upgrade is whether learning these new demands sounds rewarding, not whether the calendar has advanced.
The September v1.25 notes give an example of the continuing work. They add limited-power Boost Mode in wet conditions and change when Straight Mode and DRS remain active based on throttle input. Those are documented adjustments to how the game represents the season, rather than our assessment of how convincingly it drives. [3]
F2 adds a different place to spend an evening
The September update also adds the 2026 Formula 2 field for Season Pack and Season Edition owners. EA lists Grand Prix, Time Trial, multiplayer, split-screen, and LAN among the supported ways to use the cars. Its career notes say completing an F2 season grants bonus Recognition at the start of a first F1 season. [3]
That gives returning players a route that does not have to begin with the fastest machinery. A separate field can provide a different competitive context and another way to structure a season. Whether it is the right starting place depends on what the player enjoys; it should not be sold as a compulsory lesson for everybody.
For a group, mode availability also matters more than the promotional headline. A short shared session and a solo career are different commitments. Before organising an evening, check that everyone has the content required for the particular cars and activity you want to use.
Read update notes as dated documents
EA’s September post advertised a free weekend that ended September 14 and special-livery claim periods that ended October 14. Those dates are now past. The same post contains wheel and controller fixes, but a documented fix is not evidence that every peripheral behaves correctly on every PC. [3]
That distinction protects players from two common frustrations: arriving for an offer that has ended and assuming a hardware issue is resolved because its category appears in a patch note. Check your own device and settings rather than treating a general list as a compatibility guarantee.
Our take
The 2026 approach gives EA a way to deliver a new Formula 1 season inside an existing game, but the purchase and save boundaries need to be unmistakable. Returning drivers should know exactly what the pack includes and what it cannot carry forward.
For us, the most persuasive reason to investigate is the changed racing problem. New rules and a new field can give experienced players something to learn again. If that sounds appealing, start by checking your ownership and making room for a fresh career. The first decision happens before the starting lights.
This website is not endorsed by or affiliated with EA or its licensors.
Sources and reporting
- F1® 25: 2026 SEASON PACK – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW — EA SPORTS / Codemasters. Published or updated: May 29, 2026. Supports: June 3 release, Season Pack versus Season Edition, new teams and MADRING availability.
- EA SPORTS™ F1® 25: 2026 SEASON PACK FEATURES DEEP DIVE — EA SPORTS / Codemasters. Published or updated: May 26, 2026. Supports: New-save requirement; non-transfer of 2025 careers and custom teams; prerequisites and racing-system changes.
- THE F1® 2026 SEASON GETS EVEN BIGGER WITH THE SEPTEMBER UPDATE — EA SPORTS / Codemasters. Published or updated: September 7, 2026. Supports: 2026 F2 content and modes, v1.25 racing and career changes, peripheral fixes, and the now-expired promotional dates.
- EA’s content policy — Electronic Arts. Published or updated: date not listed. Supports: EA’s requested non-endorsement statement and content-use conditions.
About the author
Able, Chief Editor
Able has spent six years reviewing games and following the stories around them. He focuses on what changed, what is worth a player’s time, and the context that gets lost in the announcement cycle.
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