Over a month after its launch, F1 25’s first post-launch DLC has arrived in the form of playable scenario chapters inspired by the unimaginatively titled F1 the Movie, starring Brad Pitt and directed by Top Gun Maverick’s Joseph Kosinski.
The introductory chapter, in which you play as Sonny Hayes attempting to beat teammate Joshua Pearce’s lap time at Silverstone within a second to prove himself, is free for everyone, regardless of which edition you own.
Meanwhile, the remaining six chapters are a pre-order bonus for the deluxe Iconic Edition, or they can be purchased as separate DLC for £8.99 / $9.99.
At the movies
If you’ve played the Braking Point story mode, the execution of these scenario chapters is very similar, blending cut scenes with playable gameplay scenarios that put you behind the wheel of the film’s fictional APXGP car. That’s no coincidence either, because Codemasters recently confirmed to Traxion that both modes share the same game code.
Each chapter commences with a live-action clip from the movie, providing context for the scenario. Completing the event objective then triggers an end cut scene. Unlike Braking Point, you can’t choose if you want to play as Sonny or Joshua, but some chapters alternate between the two drivers mid-race.
The DLC is effectively a playable advertisement for F1 the Movie (a prominent banner in the live-action clips reminds us the film is “now playing only in cinemas”). In fairness, it doesn’t pretend to be anything else.
If you don’t want to spoil anything, we recommend watching F1 the Movie first, as some clips show key scenes not seen in the trailers.
Surprisingly, not every cut scene is live action. Instead, later chapters utilise in-game cutscenes. Codemasters has done a respectable job of mimicking scenes from the film, utilising cinematic camera angles, but the abrupt change is jarring. It implies that Codemasters and EA were unable to license scenes from the second half of the film.
The introductory chapter helps you get acquainted with the APXGP car. For the movie, the APXGP is based on a Formula 2 car modified to resemble a Formula 1 car. As such, it drives more like a Formula 2 car in F1 25, with reduced grip and downforce making it prone to understeer.
Following the introductory test session, the next six chapters are inspired by the movie’s enthralling race scenes, which take place across Silverstone, Monza, Zandvoort, Mexico City, Spa-Francorchamps, and Abu Dhabi.
Most objectives ask you to either catch up with a specific driver or finish the race in a particular position, culminating with a dramatic duel against Lewis Hamilton in Abu Dhabi, which is a highlight. Completing all seven chapters unlocks Sonny Haye’s racing helmet for the Driver Career and F1 World modes.
Since F1 the Movie was filmed before the current championship at actual Grand Prix weekends, you race against 2024’s driver and team lineup. As such, Sainz still has a seat with Ferrari, while Perez races for Red Bull.
To match the film’s cinematography, the chapter scenarios adopt different colour grading. It’s a subtle effect, and while it makes the visuals look more cinematic, the result often appears too dark and washed out, with no option to turn it off. When comparing the live-action footage with the game, the film has a much warmer tint.
With no voiceovers during gameplay other than your race engineer (who is the same voiceover as before, not the movie counterpart, sadly), you never feel like you’re playing as Sonny or Joshua.
Using team radio exchanges from the film or new lines recorded by the actors would make the scenarios feel more closely connected to the film. Likewise, Hans Zimmer’s rousing score and David Croft’s excitable commentary from the film are absent – a shame.
Short but sweet
With only six chapters to complete, F1 25’s movie DLC is on the short side. On normal difficulty, experienced players will breeze through it in under a couple of hours, making it possible to complete in one sitting.
Although they are short-lived, F1 25’s chapter scenarios are an enjoyable way of reliving moments from Brad Pitt’s F1 movie blockbuster, and the seamless transitions between film footage and gameplay are impressive. If you enjoy Braking Point, this plays like an extension of the story mode with different characters and live-action videos replacing the CGI cutscenes.
But while it’s a worthy add-on if you already own the Iconic Edition, it’s harder to justify as paid DLC – the £8.99 / $9.99 price tag might leave Standard Edition players feeling short-changed.
Still, it’s encouraging to see Codemasters experiment with Braking Point’s format in other modes. If the team plans to bring back classic cars and circuits in future F1 games, it’s easy to imagine similar scenario modes recreating iconic moments from past seasons. If only a classic scenario mode like this could have coincided with Formula 1’s 75th anniversary this year.
How to access F1 25’s F1 Movie chapter scenarios
- Included in the F1 25 Iconic Edition at no extra cost
- Available as standalone DLC for Standard Edition players (£8.99 / $9.99)
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