EA Sports F1 announced that they would not be releasing an F1 26 game, to much disappointment. However, fans can expect a 2026 season pack to reflect a driver’s rating based on the completed 2025 season and the ongoing 2026 season.

EA have come to the conclusion on ratings based on four key metrics: experience, race craft, awareness, and pace, which are then put together to give an average rating out of 100.

The ratings for the season pack will spark debate, so here is the full list which showcases the best drivers in 2026.

10

Alex Albon

Rating: 85

The British-Thai racer has become a known face in the F1 line-up, with him being a part of the sport for seven years now. Albon‘s best days came in 2020 with two third-place finishes in Tuscany and Bahrain while driving for Red Bull, but he has still shown natural ability while racing under the Williams flag.

The 2026 season has so far been a bit disappointing for Albon, sitting in 17th in the Drivers’ Championship with only one point coming in Miami after a 10th-place finish. Despite that, Albon has made it into the game’s top 10 list thanks to his proven ability to compete in the upper half of the grid when on form.

9

Sergio Perez

Rating: 85

Sergio Perez has proven himself to be a strong competitor on the grid across the last six years. The Mexican-born driver has picked up six wins across his F1 career and finished a career-high second place in the Drivers’ Championship in 2023, giving Red Bull their first ever 1-2 in the contest.

Despite cementing himself as a solid driver, the Cadillac racer is yet to pick up a point in the Drivers’ Championship, meaning his ninth place ranking comes based off of historical form, not just current.

8

Carlos Sainz Jr

Rating: 86

Sainz has seen a sharp decrease in his rating, dropping from 90 last year to 86. The four-time race winner was a consistent point scorer with Ferrari, securing victories at the 2022 British Grand Prix, the 2023 Singapore Grand Prix, and the Australian and Mexico City Grands Prix in 2024.

While he has not been as strong with Williams, he has guided the team to comfortable championship positions. This year, he currently sits in 13th in the Drivers’ Championship table, but his work with Ferrari in previous years has still given him a respectable rating in the game.

7

Fernando Alonso

Rating: 90

You cannot deny Alonso‘s place amongst the pantheon of F1 legends. He has taken part in 429 races and has won 32 of them, with his first victory coming 23 years ago. He has seen plenty of drivers come through the door, but he has been a permanent fixture within the sport.

However, this year has been one to forget. The veteran has not enjoyed the number of technical faults that have come with Aston Martin‘s engine struggles and has complained about vibrations in the car that have forced him to retire from multiple races. Despite Alonso not picking up any points so far this season, he has actually improved last year’s rating by two thanks to his legend status within F1.

6

Lewis Hamilton

Rating: 91

The seven-time World Champion has shown that his age is not weighing on him as he continues to perform for Ferrari at a consistent rate. At the Canadian Grand Prix, Hamilton finished second and is still insistent on putting pressure on the Mercedes duo of Antonelli and George Russell and is looking to build upon recent results.

Last year, Hamilton picked up an 89 rating, and it is clear from this year’s improved score that the game recognises that he is starting to find his footing with Ferrari and is once again pushing up the leaderboard in the hopes of claiming an eighth world title some point in his future.

5

Oscar Piastri

Rating: 91

The Aussie had a surprisingly low rating last year, but the game has amended that with a solid four-point improvement. The McLaren driver has proven that there could be a World Championship in his future in recent years, with the Drivers’ Championship still being attainable for him before the last race of 2025. Despite a third-place finish on the leaderboard, it certainly was a season to be proud of for the young driver.

While McLaren has not fired on all cylinders in 2026 as they have for the previous two years, Piastri is still one of the more exciting young talents in the sport and the game has reflected that by putting him in the top five.

4

Charles Leclerc

Rating: 92

The Monaco-born driver has shown exactly why he is one to watch since joining Ferrari in 2019. Despite people thinking he could be playing second fiddle to Lewis Hamilton upon his arrival to the team, Leclerc finished ahead of the British legend in the 2025 Drivers’ Championship and is sitting in third place this year.

With a one-point climb in the game’s rankings, Leclerc’s rating in the game has reflected his ability and tenacity to remain the leading man for Ferrari for years to come.

3

George Russell

Rating: 93

The British driver has been on the verge of becoming a superstar for the past couple of years, and he has started to prove that this year, sitting in second behind teammate Kimi Antonelli. Going into the season, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff envisioned Russell as the lead driver for the team and, despite being outshone by his young counterpart, there is no doubt that he is one of the faces of the sport at this point.

Russell’s in-game improvement is reflective of this fact, climbing from 90 to 94. With a World Championship potentially in his future, it is clear that he could become the highest-rated in the franchise at some point in his career.

2

Lando Norris

Rating: 94

Last year’s champion being rated so highly is no surprise. The British driver was so impressive and seemed destined to win it from the get-go last year with his ability to hold off Max Verstappen and teammate Oscar Piastri going into the final race of the season. Despite the slow start so far this year, there is no denying the star power Norris has.

With a three-point rating improvement, the game has highlighted Norris‘ ability and place in F1 despite a slight decline in form compared to the last two years of his career, but there is no doubt that he can and will be a contender again in the sport, which makes him the second-highest ranked driver in the game deserved.

1

Max Verstappen

Rating: 95

Despite narrowly missing out on the Drivers’ Championship last year, the Dutchman’s place in the sport’s history is already cemented. The four-time World Champion dominated the sport for years and is still showing signs of promise despite Red Bull’s slight decline this year.

While Verstappen is still looking for a win this year and sits in seventh place in the Drivers’ Championship, his legendary status has rightfully earned him the top spot in the game’s rankings once more.

While the rating system will spark discussion over who has been underappreciated or overrated, it has been confirmed by EA Sports that the ratings are subject to change as we progress through the racing calendar. It would not be surprising if Kimi Antonelli received a drastic improvement to his ranking as he continues to rack up wins and lead the Drivers’ Championship.