Release Date, Cover Athlete, Platforms And Pre-Order Info

The year 2025 could be huge for the growth of Formula One in the mainstream.

Brad Pitt stars in the big-budget film Formula One, which is set to hit theaters on June 27, and less than a month earlier, EA Sports and Codemasters will deliver the newest addition to their F1 series, F1 25.

F1 24 didn’t blow most critics’ socks off, as it registered a 72 Metacritic score. However, both EA and Codemasters have the pedigree to provide some optimism about the upcoming product.

Here’s the key information about the release.

• Release Date: May 30, 2025
• Cover Stars: Oscar Piastri (McLaren), Carlos Sainz Jr. (Williams), Oliver Bearman (Haas)
  Lewis Hamilton – Iconic Edition
• Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (via EA App, Steam, and Epic Games Store)

F1 25:Pre-Order Info

As mentioned above regarding the cover stars, F1 25 will be available in two editions: the Standard Edition and the Iconic Edition. There are notable differences in content and early access benefits.

The Iconic Edition includes early access to the game beginning May 27, 2025, three days ahead of the official release. This edition is available only for a limited time and is the only way to unlock the Lewis Hamilton Iconic Pack, which features exclusive in-game customization items and a special “King of Silverstone” F1 World event in F1 24.

Consumers who buy the Iconic Edition also receive 18,000 PitCoin (the game’s virtual currency), the F1 World Bumper Pack, and the F3 Driver Icons pack, which can be used in both My Team and Career Mode.

Another key bonus tied exclusively to the Iconic Edition is early access to a collection of 2025 season liveries, usable immediately in F1 25’s Time Trial mode. The edition also includes the “F1 The Movie” chapter scenarios and a one-month subscription to F1 TV Pro—though that last perk is restricted to players in the United States.

Both versions come with the F1 75 Celebration Pack, which includes a commemorative livery, suit, and gloves designed to honor the sport’s past and present World Champions. Players who pre-order either edition will also receive the F1 25 Starter Pack, an additional 5,000 PitCoin, and other minor pre-launch digital rewards.

As has become standard for almost every sports video game released in 2025, there will be no last-gen support for PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, which marks the franchise’s first shift to current-gen-only development.
Hamilton fans or players who want early access and deeper customization options will likely want to flock to the Iconic Edition. It’s built to appeal to those demographics.

The Story in F1 25

The pressure is on Codemasters. When your game drops around the same time as an F1 movie starring Pitt, you’d better deliver an engrossing story mode.

We’re getting the next chapter of Braking Point, which is centered around the fictional Konnersport team. According to the game’s product page on GameStop, your team has been thrust into chaos after a dramatic event.

The newest version of Braking Point is said to have branching storylines and alternative scenarios. The player would appear to have more agency in these scenarios, and the choices you make dictate the specifics of the on-track objectives.

It sounds like your choices can also affect the ending. Previously, the series’ story mode has been criticized for having a lack of replayability. Perhaps these additions are the attempted answer to that criticism.

F1 25: My Team 2.0 and Customization Updates

Codemasters appears to have leaned into customization in this version with new livery tools, and additional alterations available to decals. Some fans have begged for deeper customization, perhaps akin to what we see in Forza, but that may be an unfair request considering how different the bottom-line point is for those games.

We’ll see what happens with F1 and if it satisfies a larger percentage of racing fans.

F1 25: Track Rebuilds and Reverse Layouts

There are also five LIDAR-updated circuits and reverse versions of several well-known tracks. Users will be watching with a keen eye to see if these changes add a meaningful layer to gameplay.

F1 25: New Online Co-Op Events

This year’s game will introduce the Invitationals in F1 World. For users who enjoy co-op events, this could be a major draw. I sometimes wonder why developers invest heavily in these kinds of features, but perhaps that’s just the perspective of a gamer who never plays co-op.

Co-op users may have some trepidation about overly grind-heavy objectives, so it will be interesting to see how this is executed.

F1 25: Presentation and Miscellaneous Features

Visually, F1’s presentation has been top-notch for years. I have wanted more from the audio, as I feel it would help to add immersion and more storytelling elements during races.

While I haven’t read anything that suggests there will be extensive audio updates, there have been upgrades to the flashback system, new cinematics featuring F1 drivers, and the PC version has special upgrades in the way of path tracing.

Across the board, there is a bit of tension among hardcore F1 fans who are hoping this year’s game is noticeably better than F1 24.