F1 25 is a motorsport racing sim with a mix of story-driven drama, deep career management, and competitive racing. Read our review to see what it did well, what it didn't do well, and if it's worth buying.
F1 25 Review Overview
What is F1 25?
F1 25 is a motorsport racing simulation game and the official video game of the 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship, developed by Codemasters and published by EA Sports. It combines high-speed, technical racing with both narrative and management-focused gameplay. Whether you're climbing the ranks from F2, building your own team from the ground up, or experiencing the drama of an original story mode, F1 25 delivers an all-encompassing Formula 1 experience.
F1 25 features:
⚫︎ Braking Point 3
⚫︎ Career Mode & My Team Mode
⚫︎ Updated Physics and Car Handling
⚫︎ Local Split-Screen and Online Multiplayer,
⚫︎ Reverse Tracks
⚫︎ F1 Movie Cross-Over Content
| Digital Storefronts | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Steam |
 Epic |
||||
 PlayStation |
 Xbox |
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| Price | $69.99 | ||||
F1 25 Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
 Improved Handling New Local and Online Co-Op Grounded Story in Braking Point 3 Laser Scanned Tracks |
Engineer Messages Are Sometimes Poorly Timed AI Behavior is Still Hit or Miss Not a Huge Leap in Gameplay Depth |
F1 25 Overall Score - 86/100
F1 25 makes meaningful strides forward compared to its predecessor, with smarter handling, a more dramatic and emotionally grounded story mode, and enough tweaks under the hood to feel fresh. It’s a well-rounded entry that welcomes newer players without watering things down too much. That said, the formula is starting to feel a bit too familiar year after year, and smaller annoyances—like repeated engineer chatter and some forgettable side content—hold it back from greatness.
F1 25 Story - 9/10
Braking Point 3 adds a welcome layer of emotion and realism to the usual F1 campaign, showing the toll of the sport on drivers while still giving you heated rivalries and team drama. The characters are well-written, and the plot feels grounded in the sport's realities. But while the story has depth, the storytelling itself sometimes falls short, like abrupt transitions that flatten the emotional impact.
F1 25 Gameplay - 9/10
The racing feels better than ever. Cars handle more realistically, kerbs actually behave like track obstacles, and traction out of corners is improved. It’s a clear step up, especially for players who want a more grounded, skill-based driving experience. Still, some of the in-race communication—like late or unhelpful engineer messages—can pull you out of the moment, and the yearly cycle means not every mechanic has been reinvented or refined as much as it could be.
F1 25 Visuals - 9/10
Graphically, this is one of the best-looking F1 games to date. The new laser-scanned circuits look stunning, weather and lighting effects create believable tension, and cockpit views are especially immersive. However, visual upgrades are mostly iterative, not revolutionary, and a few in-game cinematics still fall short in polish compared to the rest of the presentation. It’s sharp, but not pushing new visual boundaries.
F1 25 Audio - 8/10
The game captures the raw energy of F1 racing with roaring engines, echoing tunnels, and that intense sense of speed. The music fits the tone, though it’s not especially memorable, and the overall sound design helps immerse you in the race. But the real letdown is the engineer radio—messages are often mistimed or unhelpful, breaking focus and making key moments feel slightly off. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it definitely nags at you after a while.
F1 25 Value for Money - 8/10
At $69.99, F1 25 gives you a lot to do: a full story mode, career options, My Team updates, new circuits, online co-op, and even two-player local splitscreen. It’s a solid offering, especially for fans of the sport. That said, some content—like the movie tie-in characters—feels like filler, and with the series sticking close to its yearly template, replay value might fade faster than it should for long-time players. It’s a good investment, just not an essential one for everyone.
F1 25 Review: Back And Better Than Ever
There’s a reason they call it the pinnacle of motorsport. Twenty drivers. Twenty cars. Speeds that could melt paint off a wall. One mistake—one slip of the tire—and it’s all over. You don’t get into Formula 1 by accident, and you certainly don’t survive in it without being made of titanium, both physically and mentally. These aren’t just racers. They’re athletes. Precision-machines, trained to endure g-forces most of us wouldn’t tolerate for a second. And now, you get to step into their fireproof boots.
F1 25 is the latest in Codemasters' long-running series of F1 titles. It brings players back to the grid with updated tracks, real-world teams and drivers, and a mix of returning and revamped game modes—whether you’re jumping into a race weekend, managing your own team from the paddock, or reliving story-driven drama through Braking Point. You can race solo or with friends, customize your experience to match your skill level, and dig into detailed sim-level tuning if you're feeling bold.
If you're reading this, there's a good chance you're at least somewhat familiar with the sport. Maybe you've caught a few races, maybe you've played a previous F1 title, or maybe you just want to see what the hype is about. And now, with the season heating up and the real-life grid battling through a European triple-header, it feels like the perfect time to put your name on the timing sheets.
It’s been a year since we reviewed F1 24, and I can say with confidence that F1 25’s gameplay is better than the last. Not just by inches, but actual measurable gains. It’s more inviting for new and casual players, without sanding off the rough edges that sim racing fans crave. It respects your time, your skill, and your patience—but don’t mistake that for being easy.
So if you’re curious what it’s like to sit low in the cockpit, hear the whine of the hybrid engine, and push yourself to the absolute limit in the rain at Spa… welcome. Let’s see if F1 25 really delivers on that fantasy.
The Heart of The Story
There are fast laps, and then there are stories that outpace them. For me, a huge part of why F1 25 stands out this year is the return of Braking Point, the cinematic story mode that Codemasters first introduced a few entries back. Braking Point 3 isn't just a flashy addition—it’s the engine that drives this year’s game into something more personal, more human, and sometimes, more painful than ever before.
We pick up where F1 23 left off. Aiden Jackson and Devon Butler, once bitter rivals, share a garage under the fictional team Konnersport. Well… shared. As the new season dawns, Devon’s out, and in comes Callie Mayer: a rising star and—surprise—Devon’s younger sister. If you thought team politics in real F1 were spicy, Braking Point 3 turns it into a slow-burning drama full of emotional whiplash.
Aiden and Callie’s working relationship starts off as complicated. Trust doesn't come easy, and when it does, it's often tested by the strain of competition, media pressure, and that ever-present, unrelenting desire to prove you're better. But Braking Point 3 isn't just about teammate tension. It digs into the layered realities of racing, the business behind the sport, the emotional cost of high performance, and the way loss and legacy intertwine.
This isn’t a fairy tale. There are moments of frustration—narrative ones and gameplay ones—but they feel earned. I found myself staring at the screen, dumbfounded, not because the story was bad, but because it hit too close to what the sport often feels like. I’d finish a segment where Konnersport is apparently falling from grace and think, "C’mon, we’re a new team, we’re doing alright compared to Ferrari" Then I’d remember the bitter taste of watching my own favorite team fall short on Sunday and realize, yep… that tracks.
There’s grief. There’s ambition. And, sure, it’s dramatized for the sake of drama, but these are the things that make F1 what it is—equal parts glory, entertainment, and heartbreak. Braking Point 3 gets that, and it’s all the better for it.
If you’re the type who typically skips over story modes in racing games, I’d honestly give this one a chance. It adds a layer of emotional texture that most sports games never even try to touch. Sure, it won’t replace your multiplayer grudge matches or your custom My Team campaign, but it’s a damn fine pit stop along the way.
Driving Mechanics & Feel
Let’s talk about what really matters: the driving. After all, F1 25 can have all the story beats and cinematic cutscenes it wants, but if the cars don’t feel right, what’s the point? Luckily, they do feel right. Better than last year, in fact.
The improvements to handling are immediately noticeable. Cars feel more grounded, more connected to the track. There’s a finesse to cornering now that wasn’t quite there in F1 24—a sense that the car is communicating with you instead of just reacting to inputs. I spent most of my time on a controller (because I live on a mortal’s budget and not in a motion rig pod), and even then, the feedback was satisfying. Every dab of throttle exiting a turn, every brake modulation before a chicane, it all felt more deliberate, more natural.
One major change: traction. It's leagues better than it was. Last year, kerbs might as well have been decorative, barely slowing you down or affecting your balance. You could hop over them like a kangaroo and still put in a purple sector. This time around, they actually feel like part of the track. Exiting over a high kerb with too much throttle can upset the car’s balance, and if you're not careful, it'll punish you. It’s not just more realistic, it’s more engaging. You need to respect the racing line now, not just cut across it at will.
And then there’s the oversteer—rather, the lack of it. You don’t spend your laps fighting a car that wants to pirouette at every apex anymore. The vehicle dynamics have been refined, and while that might disappoint a few, I’m grateful for the change.
Track limits are stricter, too. Dip a wheel into the gravel or extend too far out of bounds, and you’ll feel it. Whether it's a loss in momentum or a warning slapped onto your HUD, F1 25 wants you to race clean. It raises the tension, especially in close battles where every inch counts, and I appreciate that push for precision.
That said, this is still a game that wants to be playable. It strikes a careful balance between realism and accessibility. The assists are there if you need them. And if you don’t, the game will reward your precision with a ride that’s silky and demanding in all the right ways.
Now, I won’t pretend to speak for the sim racing elite with their triple-screen setups, hydraulic pedals, and FIA-grade seats. I’m not that person. But if I’m having this much fun on a controller—if I can feel the shift of the car through controller vibrations—then I can only imagine how this must feel with a proper racing rig. That said, this is still a game that primarily caters to casual players. That’s not a knock, it’s just the reality of a mass-market title. The assists are comprehensive, the UI is intuitive, and most players will probably never turn off traction control or manual ERS. But within that accessibility, there’s nuance. There’s room to push, to shave off tenths, to feel the difference when you get it right. And that’s what makes the improvements so welcome.
So no, F1 25 isn’t suddenly a hardcore sim racer. But it’s more refined than its predecessor, more grounded in the actual feel of Formula One driving. It offers a smoother, more authentic ride for returning players, and still keeps the door wide open for newcomers who just want to put pedal to the metal and not end up against the wall.
Technical Polish & Frustrations
Visually, F1 25 is a knockout. From Monaco’s glittering shoreline to the dusk-tinged corners of Yas Marina, every track has been treated with a fresh coat of realism. The lighting upgrades give each race a distinctive atmosphere, while the updated textures and models breathe life into pit crews, podiums, and paddocks. And with five rebuilt circuits—including a laser-scanned Suzuka that is genuinely stunning—it’s hard not to appreciate the craft. Even small details like track rubbering, spray effects in the rain, or the way your car reflects the flash of a camera as you enter the pit lane, all add to the illusion.
Cockpit view remains king if you want the full immersive experience. The vibration of the chassis, the shadows of halo structures dancing across your helmet cam, the brief flicker of your gloved hands reacting mid-corner, it all sells the fantasy. Audio design helps seal the deal. Engines roar with meatier aggression, gear shifts hit sharper, and tire squeal during lock-ups actually gives you a little shiver. It sounds like Formula One.
But then there’s Jeff. Or, rather, whatever name your engineer has this year. Look, I get it. Team radio is part of the F1 experience. It’s often a highlight of real-world races. But in F1 25, engineer messages can be… off. Delayed, awkwardly timed, or just completely unhelpful. I don’t need to know I’m 9 seconds behind the car in front when we’re two laps from the chequered flag and there’s no one behind me. I don’t need to hear "good job" five seconds after I've overtaken the car in front of me. It’s not motivational, it’s just noise. There’s no way to customize when these messages come in or what they prioritize, which feels like a missed opportunity. A more dynamic, context-aware radio system would elevate the entire experience.
That said, performance-wise, the game runs smoothly. On the Xbox Series X|S, loading times are fast, frame rates are stable, and bugs were no bugs in my gameplay. There’s still the occasional UI hiccup or menu sluggishness—especially in My Team and Career menus—but it’s nothing game-breaking. So yes, F1 25 looks the part and sounds convincing—most of the time. When it fires on all cylinders, it captures the drama and style of the sport perfectly.
Modes & Features
The F1 games have been adding modes for years now, and while F1 25 doesn’t shake up the entire garage, it does tune a few things under the hood. Some of it works, some of it feels more like seasonal maintenance—but hey, the car runs smoother overall.
Career Mode is still the heart of the experience. You can start from F2 if you want that gritty rise-through-the-ranks feel, or just dive into an F1 seat and start elbowing Max and Lewis on the grid. The option to race for Konnersport or APXGP—fictional teams from the story mode and the movie—adds a bit of flavor, but honestly, it’s more novelty than a game-changer. It's there for those who want it, but I stuck with the real teams most of the time.
My Team is… fine. It’s been reworked, yes, but it doesn’t really feel like a reinvention. You still build your team from the ground up, manage R&D, balance team chemistry, and drive your own car. The specialization options add some light strategy, but if you've played the mode before, you’ll probably just nod and keep going. It’s familiar—and that’s not a bad thing—but it doesn’t exactly surprise you either.
The movie tie-in? Look, I get it. Marketing synergy and all that. You can play as characters from F1: The Movie in themed events, and while some players might be into that crossover appeal, for me, it’s background noise. It’s not what I come to these games for, and it doesn’t add much to the core gameplay. It’s not annoying, it’s just… there.
What impressed me this year was the reverse tracks, which I initially thought would be a gimmick but turned out to be surprisingly fun. Not all circuits are eligible, but the ones that are? It’s weirdly disorienting in a good way—like driving through a dream version of a track you thought you knew by heart. Braking zones change. Overtaking lines shift. It’s a small addition that adds a big layer of novelty, especially when you’ve been playing these games annually.
Multiplayer also gets a little love. Online co-op events are a nice touch—finally, a way to team up with friends against AI instead of throwing yourselves into sweaty public lobbies. And split-screen local multiplayer? I was genuinely excited to see that. Not enough racing games offer it anymore, and it’s such a welcome feature when you’ve got someone over and want to dive into a race together. It’s simple, it works, and I hope it stays.
All told, the features here aren’t reinventing the genre, but there’s enough refinement to keep it feeling new-ish. Just don’t expect it to be a total rebuild. It’s more like a well-earned upgrade package—some carbon fiber, some slick new telemetry, and a little extra grip in the corners.
Concerns & the Franchise Rut
Here’s the thing: F1 25 is good. It’s better than last year’s game. In fact, it's probably the best this era of the series has felt in a while. And yet, even with all that, I can’t shake this lingering feeling that we’re edging into familiar territory—the kind where better doesn’t always mean fresh.
We’re at a point now where the yearly F1 games feel less like bold new installments and more like careful iterations. There’s polish, sure. There’s the expected improvements to handling, a few added modes, maybe a new cinematic or two—but none of it feels radically different from what we’ve been getting. F1 25 adds a few bells, dials in the knobs, and delivers a very solid experience… but it also plays things safe.
And that safety is starting to show. It’s not burnout, exactly. I still enjoy these games, especially when the quality is this high. But the formula (no pun intended) is beginning to feel a bit boxed in. I worry that the yearly cadence is making it harder for the devs to innovate in a meaningful way. It’s hard to reimagine something when the schedule demands small, reliable tweaks over risk-taking.
Take Braking Point. I loved it this year, but how many more stories can we tell with Konnersport before it starts repeating itself? Or Career Mode, how many years can we jump into another F1 season with just marginal upgrades before that grind loses its edge?
Don’t get me wrong, I’d still recommend F1 25. It’s a well-made game, it plays great, and it respects both casual and committed fans. But I think the series is approaching a crossroads. If we want to keep seeing F1 games that really capture the ever-evolving nature of the sport itself—unpredictable, high-stakes, emotional—we’re going to need more than just mechanical touch-ups.
So here’s hoping Codemasters takes the success of F1 25 and uses it as a springboard. Because if next year is more of the same… well, we’ll all still be here, helmets on and gloves tight, but maybe just a little less thrilled to get back in the car.
Is F1 25 Worth It?
Absolutely—But With a Few Caveats
If you’re a fan of Formula 1 racing, whether you’ve followed the sport for years or are just curious about what the hype’s all about, F1 25 delivers an experience that feels authentic and rewarding. The driving is tighter, the story mode is gripping, and there’s enough content to keep you busy without overwhelming you. Casual players will find it welcoming, while sim enthusiasts will appreciate the increased challenge without feeling alienated.
Admittedly, it’s not perfect, there are moments where the engineer’s chatter grates, and the series itself could use a shot of fresh adrenaline—but the core gameplay thrills, the crisp visuals, and that unique blend of strategy and speed make it a compelling race to the finish line.
If you’ve been on the fence, this is the year to take the wheel. Just don’t expect a revolutionary leap forward—think of it more like refining your racing line: smoother, sharper, but on a track you know well. So buckle up. Whether you’re chasing podiums or just enjoying the roar of the engines, F1 25 has enough pace to keep your adrenaline pumping and your love for the sport burning bright.
| Digital Storefronts | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steam |
Epic |
||||
| PlayStation |
Xbox |
||||
| Price | $69.99 | ||||
F1 25 FAQ
How do you calibrate a controller in F1 25?
To calibrate your controller in F1 25, go to the Settings menu from the main screen, then select Controls, Vibration & Force Feedback. Choose Calibration, then perform a Button Test. From here, you can adjust throttle and brake linearity, steering saturation, dead zones, and more to fine-tune your driving experience.
What Are F1 25’s System Requirements?
| System | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 64-bit Version 21H1 or newer | Windows 10 64-bit Version 21H1 or newer |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-6400 / Core i5-9600k (VR) or AMD Ryzen 3 1200 / Ryzen 5 2600X (VR) | Intel Core i5-9600k or AMD Ryzen 5 2600X |
| Memory | 8 GB RAM | 16 GB RAM |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GTX 1060 (6GB) | GTX 1660Ti (VR) | RTX 2060 (RT) / AMD RX 570 (8GB) | RX 590 (VR) | 6700XT (RT) / Intel Arc A380 (VR/RT) | NVIDIA RTX 2070 (+VR) | RTX 3070 (RT) / AMD RX 6600XT | RX 6700XT (VR) | RX 6800 (RT) / Intel Arc A580 (VR/RT) |
| Storage | 100 GB available space | 100 GB available space |
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F1 25 Product Information
 |
|
| Title | F1 25 |
|---|---|
| Release Date | May 27, 2025 (Early Access) May 30, 2025 |
| Developer | Codemasters |
| Publisher | Electronic Arts |
| Supported Platforms | PC (Steam, Epic), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S |
| Genre | Sim Racing |
| Number of Players | 1-2 |
| ESRB Rating | E |
| Official Website | F1 25 Website |
