Gran Turismo 7 vs F1 25 vs The Crew Motorfest: Best PS5 Racing Games in 2026
Find the best PS5 racing game for realistic driving, Formula One team management, or an open-world Hawaii car-culture adventure to enjoy in 2026.
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Prices and availability are accurate as of the time of publication and are subject to change.
Gran Turismo 7 is the best PS5 racing game in 2026 for most players because it gives you serious circuit driving, collecting, tuning and online competition in one exceptionally broad package. F1 25 is the sharper choice if Formula One is what you follow, while The Crew Motorfest is the pick for a more relaxed, open-road car-culture holiday.
Best PS5 racing games: the short list
Racing games are not interchangeable simply because all three put you behind a wheel. Gran Turismo 7 is a PlayStation simulation-style racer whose appeal comes from learning cars and circuits over time. Its product listing highlights classic cars, iconic tracks, GT Simulation and Sport Mode, then adds activities for tuning, photography, collecting and livery design. That mix makes it unusually easy to start with the driving school mindset and later find a different reason to keep playing.
F1 25 takes a much narrower but more authentic route. It is the official game of the 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship, so it is for players who want the real teams, drivers and race-weekend atmosphere rather than a general garage of road cars. This Standard Edition also refreshes My Team as an owner-focused mode and includes the third Braking Point story chapter. That combination matters if your enjoyment comes as much from following a season and running an organisation as it does from lap times.
The Crew Motorfest is deliberately less formal. Ubisoft places it on O'ahu, Hawaii, and its listing describes playlist events based on car-culture themes, from American muscle to Japanese street racing. It also advertises a collection of hundreds of vehicles and a world you can explore alone or with a crew. Pick it when the destination, variety and social cruising matter more than repeatedly perfecting one corner.
| Product | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Gran Turismo 7 | Best overall | View |
| F1 25 | Formula One fans | View |
| The Crew Motorfest | Open-world variety | View |
Gran Turismo 7: best overall
Gran Turismo 7
Gran Turismo 7 earns the overall badge because its scope is built around the many ways people enjoy cars, not one event type. The PS5 listing specifically brings back GT Simulation and Sport Mode alongside classic cars and iconic tracks, then names tuning, photography, collecting and livery design as parts of the experience. Choose it if you want a racing game that can grow from solo licence-style learning into competitive online driving and meticulous garage work. It is also the most sensible starting point for a household with different racing tastes. The tradeoff is that its strongest pleasures reward patience: players seeking a fast arcade campaign or a huge free-roam map may find its circuit-led structure more demanding and less immediately casual than Motorfest.
Pros
- GT Simulation and Sport Mode cover solo progression and organised online racing
- Classic cars and iconic tracks support a broad driving and collecting focus
- Tuning, liveries and photography create substantial non-race projects
Cons
- Circuit-focused progression asks for more patience than an open-road arcade game
- Players who only want Formula One teams get a less specialised presentation
F1 25: best for Formula One fans
F1 25
F1 25 is the clear choice for a PS5 player who wants the official 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship rather than a fictional single-seater substitute. Its Standard Edition includes a reworked My Team mode that makes you the team owner, with responsibility for both drivers and the team, plus the next Braking Point chapter centred on Konnersport. After the story, Amazon's listing says the Konnersport experience can continue into Driver Career or My Team, which gives the narrative more than a one-time role. Buy it when a current-season F1 setting, career decisions and a focused motorsport identity are the point. Its limitation is equally clear: it is about Formula One, so it cannot offer the vehicle variety, road-trip feel or collector-led breadth of Gran Turismo 7 and Motorfest.
Pros
- Official 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship setting
- My Team 2.0 makes driver and team management part of the career
- Braking Point's Konnersport story can continue into other modes
Cons
- Formula One focus leaves little room for road cars or offbeat vehicle classes
- Story and team management appeal less to players wanting free exploration
The Crew Motorfest: best open-world racer
The Crew Motorfest
The Crew Motorfest is the right alternative when a race calendar is less appealing than an open-world drive with a changing menu of cars and styles. Its PS5 listing sets the game on O'ahu in Hawaii, where themed playlists celebrate different parts of car culture, including American muscle and Japanese street racing. Ubisoft also describes hundreds of vehicles to collect and says you can explore and test more than 600 vehicles alone or with a crew. Choose Motorfest for scenic cruising, event hopping and co-operative sessions where the next activity can be very different from the last. The meaningful compromise is that this wide festival format is not the same as a dedicated circuit simulation. Drivers who want the structured GT Simulation path or the official F1 team framework will get a clearer long-term focus from the other two games.
Pros
- O'ahu setting turns travel between events into part of the experience
- Themed playlists span car cultures such as muscle and Japanese street racing
- More than 600 vehicles can be explored alone or with a crew
Cons
- Festival-style variety is less focused than a circuit simulation career
- Online play requires a subscription according to the listing
How to choose between these PS5 racers
Start with the fantasy you want from an evening of play. Gran Turismo 7 suits the player who will happily repeat a track, adjust a car and gradually learn why a setup changes a lap. Its range means the game remains a good purchase even when your interests shift from racing to collecting or custom liveries. It is the safest recommendation when you cannot yet name one motorsport discipline.
Choose F1 25 only when Formula One is a positive reason, not merely a familiar logo. The official 2025 championship context and My Team ownership angle give it a purpose Gran Turismo cannot duplicate. It is also the more directed option: you know what kind of vehicles, circuits and season drama you are buying into. That precision is a strength for fans and a constraint for everyone else.
Motorfest works best for players who value a place as much as a competition. O'ahu, playlists and a large vehicle collection make it the most natural game for switching between quick events, longer drives and sessions with friends. Check your online subscription situation if multiplayer is central. None of these products is automatically best for a wheel setup, because controller feel, supported hardware and preferred handling are personal enough to confirm before buying.
FAQ
Is Gran Turismo 7 still the best PS5 racing game in 2026?
For most buyers, yes: Gran Turismo 7 has the most balanced combination here of simulation-style circuit driving, classic cars, tuning, collecting and online Sport Mode. It is not automatically best if you want an official current Formula One season or an open Hawaiian map. Those preferences point more directly to F1 25 and The Crew Motorfest.
Should I buy F1 25 if I do not follow Formula One?
Only if its focused motorsport format and management ideas appeal to you. F1 25's key distinction is the official 2025 FIA Formula One setting, plus owner-led My Team and Braking Point. If you would rather choose among many car types, explore roads or spend time on collecting and liveries, Gran Turismo 7 or Motorfest is likely a better fit.
Does The Crew Motorfest need online access?
The Amazon listing says an online gaming subscription is required for online play only. That makes Motorfest suitable for solo exploration of O'ahu and its playlist activities, while players planning regular crew sessions should check the current PlayStation subscription requirement and the game's network features before they buy.
Prices and availability are accurate as of publication and can change.