EA’s F1 26 won’t be a game—just a paid F1 25 add-on. Smart pivot or cash grab?

Why This Actually Matters

EA and Codemasters are breaking the annualized F1 cycle: there’s no standalone “F1 26.” Instead, the 2026 season will arrive as a paid expansion inside F1 25, with a fully “reimagined” EA Sports F1 title targeted for 2027. As someone who plays these every year, this caught my attention because the 2026 regulations are a big reset in real-world Formula 1-new hybrid rules, active aero, lighter cars-exactly the kind of season that usually demands a big tech overhaul. If they use the extra year to actually rebuild the handling, AI, and online under the hood, this could be the right call. If it’s just a pricey livery-and-rules pack? That’s where the debate starts.

Key Takeaways

• No full F1 26: 2026 content lands as a paid expansion for F1 25 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series.
• Expansion promises new cars, updated sporting regs, and refreshed teams/drivers.
• Price and feature depth are unknown-critical details for judging value.
• F1 27 (2027) is pitched as a “reimagined” release—potentially a tech reset after mixed recent years.

Why This Matters Now

F1 25 launched in late May and has been getting seasonal drops—including a limited-time “Survival Challenge” in Season 4—so the series already behaves like a live platform. Pivoting 2026 into an add-on formalizes that. Given how disruptive the 2026 FIA rulebook will be (active aero systems, a heavily revised hybrid package, smaller/lighter cars), I actually get the logic: ship the cosmetic and rules changes inside F1 25 while keeping a full extra year to rebuild physics, AI racecraft, and netcode for 2027.

Codemasters has handled a big rules reset before—F1 22 brought a new aero era but also shipped with inconsistencies and growing pains. More time could mean avoiding a repeat. Lee Mather, Senior Creative Director, framed it optimistically: “F1 25 has seen incredible success, driven by the passion of fans and the energy of the sport… Our multi-year plan extends this year’s excitement with the 2026 expansion and rethinks the F1 experience for 2027 to offer even more to players of all skill levels worldwide.” (translated)

The skeptical read: if the 2026 pack is just new models, updated driver rosters, a calendar shuffle, and some rules toggles, that’s the bare minimum the series used to deliver every year for full price. As a paid add-on, it has to do more than repaint the grid. Give us meaningful handling updates for the 2026 aero/PU mix, smarter AI for mixed ERS strategies, and online parity so league racing doesn’t fracture.

The Real Questions EA Hasn’t Answered

• Price: Is this a $20-30 expansion or a near-full-price “ultimate” upgrade? Value perception hinges on this number.
• Depth: Will 2026 include genuine physics revisions to reflect active aero and the new hybrid balance, or just rebalanced sliders?
• Saves and modes: Can My Team and Career saves roll forward into 2026, or do we need fresh careers to access the new regs?
• Multiplayer split: Will 2026 owners and base F1 25 players coexist in the same lobbies with selectable rule sets, or does the pack gate MP participation?
• Esports and leagues: How will the official esports calendar and community leagues handle the mid-platform season swap?
• Content breadth: Beyond cars and liveries, will we see 2026 broadcast styling, menus, and presentation updates to sell the “new era” vibe?

If EA nails those answers, I’m on board. If they dodge them until the week before launch, expect a storm. Annual sports games have been under pressure to justify their existence for years—EA FC, Madden, and even MLB The Show have all dealt with “same game, new menus” criticisms. Folding a radical season into an existing platform is smart only if players feel like they’re getting more function, not just different paint.

Codemasters’ Track Record, For Better and Worse

When Codies is on form, the on-track feel is best-in-class on a pad, and the series has given us genuinely good career hooks like My Team and the Braking Point story beats (even if that mode has yo-yo’d in and out). The rougher edges are well known: rubber-banding AI, flaky safety car and penalty logic, and online stability that can sink league nights. F1 25 has improved handling and traction over F1 24’s polarizing feel, but it’s still iterative rather than revolutionary.

That’s why a 2027 “reimagining” could be worth the wait—if it arrives with a rebuilt physics pipeline, better racecraft AI, more robust netcode, and modern presentation that matches F1’s TV package. If 2027 just means a new UI and a higher price, the goodwill they’re banking with this 2026 plan evaporates.

What Players Should Do Right Now

• If you already own F1 25: Wait for the 2026 expansion details—price, physics notes, and how it treats your saves and leagues. If they deliver authentic handling changes and MP parity, it’s likely the best-value path into the 2026 era.
• If you’re new to the series: Don’t rush. F1 25 will keep discounting, and the expansion may bundle into an “F1 25 + 2026” edition. If EA prices the add-on sensibly, that’s cheaper than a new game would’ve been.
• League racers: Press EA for clear MP compatibility info. A split player base would be a nightmare for calendars and stewarding.
• Wishlist for 2026: Active-aero-informed handling, better ERS/tyre strategy AI, reliable safety car/penalties, and stronger online tools for custom championships.

Bottom line: pausing the annual treadmill could be the best decision EA has made with this license. But it only pays off if the 2026 expansion feels substantial and 2027 lands as a true step forward, not just a marketing beat. We’ve seen Forza Motorsport pivot to a platform; F1 can do it too—just don’t charge us platform prices for menu swaps.

TL;DR

EA is skipping a standalone F1 26 and rolling the 2026 season into a paid F1 25 expansion, promising a “reimagined” full release in 2027. Smart move if it funds real physics and AI work; a cash grab if it’s just liveries and rosters. Watch the price, the handling changes, and how it treats your saves and multiplayer.