The anticipation is building up to a crescendo as EA Sports F1 25 revs up for its release on May 30. Packed with a host of enhancements, fine-tuning, and fresh features, this edition promises to cater both to novice players and seasoned pros. I had the pleasure of chatting with the developers at EA Codemasters about the cutting-edge gameplay elements this long-awaited racing game will offer.
“We’re never without feedback,” EA Codemasters’ Creative Director, Gavin Cooper, says. “Listening to our community helps shape a lot of what’s included this year.”
Feedback doesn’t just come from the official forums and direct supporters; it extends to esports drivers and content creators who got an early peek at F1 25 during its development phase.
The game aims to polish everything, from the precision of car handling to a sleek, TV-style presentation and an improved voiceover experience featuring real drivers. Gavin explains, “Hearing the voices of actual drivers while playing adds a layer of realism to the game. There’s nearly twice as much dialogue in F1 25 compared to F1 24, with more context in conversations.” So, players will be treated to engaging dialogues between drivers and their virtual race engineers, capturing the essence of real-life competition and camaraderie.
For those who felt My Team mode lacked variety in engine sounds, Gavin reassures fans this issue has been addressed. “You can now match the audio to the correct engine suppliers, so your car’s sound changes depending on your choice of supplier. That’s been a long-requested feature.”
### Build Your Dream Team
Speaking of My Team, this well-loved mode gets a noteworthy upgrade, adding a thrilling dynamic to the experience. Instead of playing as an owner-driver, you’ll manage a duo of drivers. “Being an owner-driver isn’t true to the sport,” Gavin notes. “Managing two drivers introduces various intriguing decisions. In the past, choosing which driver to prioritize was easy—you’d always pick yourself. Now, deciding on contract negotiations and upgrades involves weighing the importance of each driver.”
As you decide whom to control during race weekends, balancing the different personalities and egos of two drivers adds an amusing twist. You’ll also juggle the intricate Engineering, Personnel, and Corporate facilities, impacting how your team is perceived by others. With expanded research, development, and sponsor systems that interact with perks and upgrades, along with greater control over Driver Icons, the options at your disposal are plentiful.
### Braking Point Enhances the Narrative
Fans of the Braking Point story mode series have much to look forward to. “We’re always looking to heighten players’ influence on the story,” Gavin shares. When key events unfold, you can choose between two Konnersport drivers for that scenario. This choice sends ripples through the storyline, influencing race objectives and the narrative’s outcome. Crafting these branching narratives was no easy feat for the developers.
“We’ve ensured that alongside the main narrative, we have other threads, subplots, and mini-storylines delivered through side narratives like phone calls, social media, and news,” Gavin describes. “These can relate more to one driver but eventually reconnect with the main story. It’s about maintaining a player-specific experience while ensuring an immersive, cohesive narrative for everyone.”
Once you complete Braking Point, there’s a unique bonus allowing you to carry your Konnersport team into Career Mode for the first time. It’s just one R&D highlights that F1 25 has brought to give you unmatched versatility in your gameplay.
“There are myriad paths you can take,” Gavin says excitedly. “Whether it’s an official driver or a custom-created driver, you can even join the ’11th team’ through Konnersport or Apex, all before adding Icons to My Team.”
### Intricate Details Around Every Corner
While existing modes are deep, the team hasn’t overlooked the smaller details. Better customization options, like an enhanced decal editor and the ability to alter driver number fonts and colors, are now available. Additionally, LIDAR scanning has enhanced the authenticity of five tracks—Bahrain, Miami, Melbourne, Suzuka, and Imola—right down to safety barriers and vegetation.
Players can also tackle the reverse layouts of Silverstone, Zandvoort, and Austria in Grand Prix, Time Trial, Multiplayer, and from the second season of Career modes. “People are surprised by this feature,” Gavin grins. “You might think you know these tracks well, but trying them backward gives you an entirely new experience. It’s not just reversing; it truly feels different and fresh.”
Creating F1 25 each year is as complex as orchestrating a real Formula 1 season, with dedicated teams working meticulously on alternating series releases. “We started a central team focused on annual tasks like handling and AI,” Gavin explains. “Having a split team model lets us deliver big features annually. It involves crossing paths in development builds, but a lot of it comes down to meticulous processes and communication with the right people.”
This teamwork mirrors that of the finest F1 teams, coming together when it counts most. Soon, you’ll be able to dive into this exhilarating experience when EA Sports F1 25 launches on PS5 on May 30.
