First look: Lewis Hamilton takes centre stage in F1 26 game announcement
Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton has been confirmed as one of the ‘cover stars’ of EA Sports’ F1 2026 video game update.
Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas and Audi F1 driver Gabriel Bortoleto have also been included on the cover ahead of an official reveal later today (Wednesday).
Lewis Hamilton, Gabriel Bortoleto and Valtteri Bottas front F1 2026 game update
Want more PlanetF1.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust
Developer EA Sports announced last year that it will not release a standalone Formula 1 video game for 2026, with the studio working on a brand-new game for the 2027 season.
Instead, a special 2026 update – including the addition of the new Audi and Cadillac teams and the new Spanish Grand Prix circuit in Madrid – will be made available to F1 25, the most recent release in the long-running series.
EA Sports is set to reveal further details of the update today (May 20) ahead of a release this summer.
Lewis Hamilton vs Charles Leclerc: Ferrari head-to-head stats for F1 2026 season
F1 2026: Head-to-head qualifying statistics between teammates
F1 2026: Head-to-head race statistics between teammates
Ahead of the announcement, the developer has unveiled the artwork of the ‘2026 season pack’ with Hamilton, the seven-time world champion, taking centre stage.
The image shows Hamilton posing with his helmet in hand on the grid of the new Madring circuit, with the Ferrari driver flanked by Bortoleto and Bottas (below).
In response to EA Sports’ post, the official account of the Madring circuit wrote: “Great game, even better cover!”
The track is the only new addition on the F1 2026 calendar, with the circuit set to host its first Spanish Grand Prix on September 13.
As reported by PlanetF1.com on Monday, Williams driver and Madring ambassador Carlos Sainz recently completed his first lap of the circuit, highlighting La Monumental – a 500-metre-long banked right hander – as the “signature corner.”
2026 marks the fourth year in succession that Hamilton has appeared as a cover star of the official F1 game having returned for the 2023 edition.
He did not appear on the cover of the main edition of the F1 25 game with Sainz, Oscar Piastri (McLaren) and Oliver Bearman (Haas) chosen instead.
However, Hamilton was included in the deluxe ‘iconic edition’ of last year’s release to coincide with his high-profile move to Ferrari.
The Formula 1 video games have been produced by EA Sports since 2021 following the studio’s $1.2billion acquisition of Codemasters, which secured the rights in 2008.
After a three-week break, the F1 2026 season will resume this weekend with the Canadian Grand Prix at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal.
Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.
You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!
Read next: Christian Horner and BYD talks spark intriguing new Formula 1 team possibility
