F1 25 has been out for two weeks - should you buy it?

EA Sports’ new F1 video game, F1 25, was officially released two weeks ago.

The build-up to this year’s release was met with plenty of scepticism. After F1 24 introduced a divisive handling model that left players scratching their heads, many fans were concerned ahead of the new game.

While F1 23 was a solid-performing, enjoyable experience for players, a radically different handling model for F1 24 left players baffled. The new handling model felt off, with a bizarre front-end response that led to viral videos of players using a ‘flicking’ technique to set the fastest lap times in an unrealistic manner.

It’s important to acknowledge that no F1 video game has ever perfectly captured how the cars truly handle, but the progress made in recent years had been undone by F1 24. With the franchise reportedly facing a licence renewal period, the pressure was very much on EA and Codemasters to get back on track.

So now that F1 25 has been released for two weeks – is it worth the purchase?

F1 25’s handling

Before addressing the new features and glitzy aspects of the game, how is F1 25 to play? After getting through half a season of Driver Career and delving into some online lobbies, it’s clear that F1 25 is a notable step forward on last year.

The handling simply feels better and is more rewarding. Traction has been made slightly easier, with F1 titles notoriously difficult over the years in low-speed corners. The sharp turn-in tactic deployed by the very best to achieve the fastest lap time seems to be only apparent in Time Trial – where tyre wear is off.

Overall, the general feel of the game is one that regular F1 game players are familiar with, and one that is more enjoyable than F1 24. Granted, if you’re someone that’s used to iRacing, ACC or other more realistic titles, you might still find the handling model unusual.

As someone who’s played every F1 game since 2010 to a competitive level, it’s a thumbs up from me.

Some positive additions

EA’s marketing campaign ahead of release was centred around changes to MyTeam, reverse tracks and LIDAR-scanned circuits. Starting with MyTeam, there’s no doubt that it’s an immersive, in-depth career mode experience. 

You could argue that it’s moved too far into being a management mode – but the premise is around you owning your own team. My main gripe with it is that you’re unable to drive as yourself – or your own character – in MyTeam, a feature seemingly removed for F1 25.

Sorry, I don’t fancy driving as Mark Webber or Kush Maini.

Braking Point is also back for F1 25 – the story-driven mode. It’s not my cup of tea, but it’s more extensive than ever before. Players can choose different characters and go through an entirely different perspective.

The general difficulty of the game mode is still too easy, and pouring resources into a mode with very little shelf life – relative to online – is still questionable. Reverse tracks are a small but fun addition.

EA deserves credit for how realistically they’ve been implemented and can be used in career mode and online leagues.

Five tracks have been LIDAR-scanned for greater realism. One of the biggest problems in recent years has been unrealistic tracks. Albert Park and Suzuka have been a thrill to drive, as has Spa, which was updated last year.

As a PS5 player, I was unable to utilise F1 25’s “ground-breaking Path Tracing technology”. However, ditching old-gen consoles such as PS4 has resulted in the game looking visually more appealing.

Closing thoughts

F1 25 ticks a lot of boxes. The handling model is fun, and there’s a lot to do in the game in terms of career mode. Is it perfect? No. If you’re looking for an ultra-realistic experience, then F1 25 is probably not for you.

However, if you’ve dipped in and out of F1 games over the years, then unlike F1 24, F1 25 is more value for money. An iRacing-type ranked lobby system, a new game engine and further handling improvements are all ideas that will elevate the title in the future.

But EA should be satisfied with F1 25, and the lack of negativity on social media compared to 12 months ago suggests that players are also satisfied.