EA Sports released the 2026 Season Pack for F1 25, bringing 2026 regulations and new teams to the game. This update forces PC gamers to re-evaluate their hardware because the new features demand significantly more processing power. Players using older or budget graphics cards will likely face performance drops that make the game unplayable at high settings.
New DLC forces PC gamers to re-evaluate hardware requirements
The update introduces Audi, which replaces Sauber, and the new Cadillac team to the grid. New drivers include Isack Hadjar at Red Bull, while Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez join Cadillac. The game also adds the MADRING circuit, a 5.4km hybrid track that tests engine efficiency and aerodynamics.
We tested the game on a Ryzen 7 9800X3D with 64GB of DDR5 RAM running Windows 11 25H2. NVIDIA drivers version 610.47 and AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT and RX 6500 XT cards were part of the benchmark suite. The test focused on the Monaco circuit to measure consistent frame rates across different graphical settings.
Path tracing requires top-tier GPUs like the RTX 5090, RTX 5080, or RTX 4090 to run smoothly. Even with these powerful cards, using DLSS Performance mode is essentially mandatory for stable framerates. Ray tracing causes severe VRAM issues on 8GB cards like the RTX 5060 at 1440p and higher resolutions.
The RX 6500 XT struggles with the new content due to its 4GB VRAM limit. It can only achieve around 60 to 70 FPS on low to medium settings at 1080p. The RX 9070 XT maintains over 60 FPS at 4K with ray tracing enabled, showing it can handle the new load better than lower-end cards.
We looked at the last F1 25 update earlier while tracking driver releases and stability patches. That previous update highlighted similar balance themes that are now more critical with the 2026 Season Pack. The new hardware requirements mean buyers should check their GPU VRAM before purchasing the DLC.
The 2026 Season Pack adds new teams, drivers, and a hybrid track to F1 25. Benchmarks show that path tracing and ray tracing demand high-end hardware and DLSS support. Gamers with 8GB VRAM cards will likely experience performance issues at higher resolutions.
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