EA has locked in Wednesday, May 20 as the date for the first real look at F1 25's 2026 Season Pack. The reveal trailer drops at 4pm UK time (11am EDT / 8am PDT / 1am AEST on May 21), and it's shaping up to be one of the more interesting content updates the series has seen in years.
For now, EA has teased the three "cover" athletes fronting the update: seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, Gabriel Bortoleto (the reigning F3 and F2 champion making his full F1 debut), and veteran Valtteri Bottas, a 10-time Grand Prix winner. The choice of Bortoleto and Bottas isn't subtle. Both drivers represent the two brand-new teams joining the 2026 grid: Audi and Cadillac, respectively.
Why there's no F1 26 game this year
Back in late 2025, EA made the call that there would be no standalone game released to accompany the real-world 2026 season. Instead, the full 2026 Formula One World Championship content would arrive as a paid expansion for F1® 25. That's a meaningful shift for the series, which has shipped an annual title like clockwork for over a decade.
The 2026 Season Pack is expected to cover everything the new season brings: updated car designs built around the sport's sweeping 2026 regulation changes, revised driver lineups across all teams, and the two new constructors entering the paddock.
The 2026 Season Pack is confirmed as a paid expansion, not a free update. Pricing details are expected to be revealed alongside the trailer on May 20.
The 2026 cars are already controversial on track
Here's the thing: how Codemasters handles the new-spec cars will be worth watching closely. The real-world reaction from drivers has been blunt. Fernando Alonso has called the 2026 season a "battery world championship." Lando Norris, who won the 2025 drivers' title, said the sport went from "the best cars ever made in Formula 1 and the nicest to drive to probably the worst." Max Verstappen joked he's traded the sim for his Nintendo Switch, saying he's now practicing with Mario Kart instead.
Whether the game leans into the new car characteristics or smooths them over for playability is one of the more interesting questions heading into Wednesday's reveal.
What comes after the expansion
The 2026 Season Pack isn't the end of the road for the franchise. EA has already confirmed that a full new entry in the series is planned for 2027, described as a "reimagined" experience with "new ways to play for fans around the world." That makes the 2026 expansion something of a bridge year for the series, keeping the existing player base engaged while the next generation of the game takes shape.
For players already deep into racing games on the current title, the Season Pack looks like the most direct way to stay current with the sport without waiting another year. The full breakdown of what's included, plus pricing, should be clear by Wednesday afternoon. Check the F1® 25 guides once the reveal lands for everything you need to get up to speed with the new content.
