Racing games have always been one of my favourite ways to check out new rides, enjoy new scenery, and test my reflexes. Few genres combine graphics, performance, sound, controller feedback, and blistering speed quite like racing games do.
The PlayStation 5 is a fantastic platform for racing games, combining a strong lineup of exclusives with hardware features that can make every lap feel more immersive. The DualSense wireless controller is a big part of that experience, using adaptive triggers and detailed haptic feedback to communicate everything from braking resistance and changing road surfaces to a loss of traction.
Some of my favourite racing moments on PS5 come from just how different these games can feel behind the wheel. In Gran Turismo 7, the DualSense controller helps me feel when a car starts to lose grip or when I push a braking zone a little too far. Forza Horizon 5 is where I go when I want to forget about perfect racing lines and tear across Mexico, while Wreckfest is pure chaos when I’m in the mood to trade clean racing for crumpled metal. Those games only scratch the surface of what’s available.
Here are my picks for the best PS5 racing games in 2026, along with a few more worth checking out and other PS5 games that are coming soon I’m keeping an eye on.
Best PS5 racing games in 2026
1. Gran Turismo 7
Gran Turismo 7 remains my favourite all-around racing experience on PS5. Polyphony Digital treats cars with incredible attention to detail. And you can feel their passion for auto sports. But what matters most is how good the cars feel to drive in GT7. Combined with an enormous car collection, competitive multiplayer, ongoing updates, racing-wheel support, and PS VR2, this is an exceptionally complete package. For simulation fans and car enthusiasts, Gran Turismo 7 is a great place to start your auto sports journey.
2. Forza Horizon 5
Forza Horizon 5 is the benchmark for open-world racers, and its version of Mexico is an enormous automotive playground filled with deserts, jungles, cities, beaches, and mountain roads. You can enter organized events or simply pick a direction and take in the stunning scenery. The learning curve isn’t steep, so even if you are new to racing, you can jump straight in. At the same time, if you are an experienced driver, you have plenty of tuning, difficulty, and competitive options to explore. If you value freedom over traditional circuit racing, Forza Horizon 5 should be at the top of your list.
Also check out Forza Horizon 6 on PS5 (available for pre-order).
3. The Crew Motorfest
The Crew Motorfest takes the open-world festival approach and surrounds it with beautiful Hawaiian environments. Its greatest strength is variety. Alongside a huge range of cars, you can experiment with motorcycles, boats, and aircraft. I particularly like its Playlists, which organize events around different areas of automotive culture instead of simply scattering races across the map.
4. F1 25
F1 25 does a fantastic job of capturing the speed and intensity of Formula One without making things feel overwhelming for newcomers. The driving assists let you gradually get a feel for braking points, traction, racing lines, and energy management, while turning them off completely creates a much tougher challenge. Braking Point adds a fun story-driven campaign, and the career and management options offer plenty to do beyond individual races.
5. Assetto Corsa Competizione
Assetto Corsa Competizione is one of the most demanding racers on this list. Built around GT racing, it focuses heavily on tire behaviour, aerodynamics, changing conditions, car setup, and careful circuit knowledge. Brake too late or push the tires too hard and you will pay for it. Gran Turismo 7 is easier to approach, but players looking for deeper simulation should seriously consider Competizione.
6. EA Sports WRC
Rally racing, in my opinion, requires an entirely different mindset. Rather than battling other cars directly, you are listening to pace notes while trying to keep your vehicle under control across gravel, asphalt, snow, and mud. Its career content, historic rally cars, vehicle-building options, and official WRC elements make this my pick for rally fans on PS5.
7. Wreckfest
Sometimes I want perfect racing lines and finesse; other times I want all-out speed and mayhem. That is where Wreckfest comes in. It’s a destruction derby where vehicles bend, body panels disappear, and debris flies across the track. Genuine racing still happens beneath the destruction, but unpredictable physics create some hilarious moments.
8. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds offers a completely different kind of racing experience. Its colourful tracks, items, drifting, gadgets, and vehicle customization create plenty of chaos, while the CrossWorld mechanics can transform races by sending drivers into different environments. For family-friendly kart racing, it is one of my favourite PS5 choices.
9. Need for Speed Unbound
Need for Speed Unbound still stands out thanks to its distinctive visual style, combining realistically rendered cars with animated graffiti-inspired effects. Underneath that presentation is classic Need for Speed: build a garage, customize your cars, race for money, and try to avoid increasingly aggressive police pursuits. If customization and street-racing attitude matter more to you than realistic simulation, Unbound remains worth playing.
10. DIRT 5
DIRT 5 is the oldest game here, but its accessible arcade-style handling still makes it a great entry point. Its races send you across gravel, ice, snow, and mud without demanding the precision of EA Sports WRC. Dynamic weather and colourful environments also give events plenty of spectacle.
Arcade racers to keep an eye on
Beyond my top picks, here are a few more arcade racers that have just arrived and are a ton of fun.
Screamer
This game creates its own racing subgenre: a fast, stylish anime battle racer that mixes traditional competition with combat and character abilities. Its bold presentation and aggressive racing style help it stand apart from more conventional arcade racers. It’s one of the most unique racing games I’ve played in quite some time; I definitely recommend checking it out.
Star Wars: Galactic Racer
The high-speed sci-fi arcade Star Wars: Galactic Racer is set in the lawless Outer Rim, where landspeeders, speeder bikes, skim speeders, and podracers battle across dangerous circuits. It blends aggressive racing and vehicle customization with a story-driven campaign, giving the familiar Star Wars universe a racing-focused spin.
HOT WHEELS Infinite Rush
A colourful, family-friendly arcade racer built around speed, creativity, and over-the-top Hot Wheels action. It leans into imaginative tracks and toy-box fun rather than realistic driving. This is a great experience for racers young and old.
My most anticipated upcoming PS5 racing experiences
Forza Horizon 6
Arriving on PS5 on January 26, 2027, Forza Horizon 6 brings the Horizon Festival to Japan. You can now race on Tokyo’s neon-lit streets and winding mountain roads and build your garage with 550 cars. With breathtaking environments, deep customization, and thrilling open-world racing, I’m excited to see how one of the best entries in the series makes the jump to PlayStation 5.
CLUTCH
Coming in 2027, CLUTCH blends professional racing with underground street competition and police pursuits. The mix of structured motorsport and riskier nighttime racing gives it an interesting edge.
Crazy Taxi: World Tour
SEGA’s chaotic driving series returns in 2027 with its familiar mix of speed, shortcuts, and frantic passenger runs. I’m especially interested to see how that classic arcade formula is expanded for a modern audience.
Stuntman: Hollywood
Stuntman: Hollywood looks focused on making you feel like the driver in an action movie. You’ll power cars through dangerous stunts and chaotic set pieces, where pulling off the sequence matters more than simply reaching the finish line first. There’s no release date yet, but I’m curious to see how this one comes together and very excited to check it out.
Best PS5 racing games by category
Choosing a racing game gets easier once you know what kind of experience you want. Here’s a quick reference guide to help you find the right racer:
| Category | My pick | Why |
| Best racing simulator | Gran Turismo 7 | Excellent physics, huge car selection, PS VR2 and wheel support |
| Best open-world racing game | Forza Horizon 5 | Huge world, accessible handling, and plenty of freedom |
| Best rally racing game | EA Sports WRC | Challenging stages and convincing multi-surface driving |
| Best Formula racing game | F1 25 | Authentic F1 racing with extensive assists and career options |
| Best arcade racing game | Need for Speed Unbound | Customization, street racing, and police pursuits |
| Best destruction racer | Wreckfest | Excellent crash physics and unpredictable racing |
| Best kart racer | Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds | Accessible racing with strong local and online multiplayer |
Which PS5 racing game should you choose?
- For casual players: I recommend Forza Horizon 5 or The Crew Motorfest; they are easy to pick up and play. Both offer huge worlds without requiring you to master complicated racing techniques.
- Competitive drivers: Look toward Gran Turismo 7 or F1 25. Wheel users will find plenty of depth in Assetto Corsa Competizione and Gran Turismo 7.
- For multiplayer fun: Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds is a great couch-friendly choice, while Wreckfest is ideal when you want automotive chaos.
What makes a great PS5 racing game?
Great handling, smooth performance, and enough variety in modes and races keep you coming back and help a racer stand out on PS5. Let’s take a closer look at each element and what it brings to the overall racing experience.
Realistic driving physics
Handling can completely change how a racing game feels. Assetto Corsa Competizione demands much more precision, especially when it comes to braking, finding grip, and getting the car setup right. Gran Turismo 7 still feels convincing behind the wheel, but I find it much easier to jump into and enjoy. Then you have something like Need for Speed Unbound, where realism takes a back seat, and the fun comes from drifting through traffic and building as much speed as possible.
Graphics and performance
Smooth performance, detailed cars and environments help make high-speed racing feel more convincing. When it comes to incredible graphics, Forza Horizon 5’s vehicle models and environments are absolutely stunning. PS5 hardware features can add to the experience too, with games like Gran Turismo 7 that go “beyond the screen” using haptic feedback and adaptive triggers to communicate road surfaces, braking, and traction.
Multiplayer and replayability
A good racing game should still be pulling me back in weeks or even months later. Sometimes that means chasing a faster lap time, jumping into an online race, or coming back to see what has changed after an update. Games like Gran Turismo 7 and Forza Horizon 5 do this especially well, giving me plenty to work toward even after I’ve reached the “end game.” Strong multiplayer and worthwhile post-launch content can make the difference between a racer I finish and one that stays installed on my PS5.
Start your engines on PS5
What I like most about racing games on PS5 is how different they can feel. I can spend an evening trying to shave a few tenths off a lap in Gran Turismo 7, then switch over to Forza Horizon 5 and just tear across Mexico with no real destination in mind. There’s a lot of range here, and that’s what makes the PS5 racing library so much fun to come back to.
For more of your favourite titles, check out our selection of new, upcoming, and exclusive PS5 games at Best Buy Canada.
PS5 racing games FAQ
Assetto Corsa Competizione is one of the most demanding PS5 simulations, particularly when it comes to GT racing, tire behaviour, setup, and race strategy. Gran Turismo 7 is more approachable while still offering impressive realism and customization.
Absolutely! Its huge car collection, excellent driving model, multiplayer, PS VR2 support, and continued additions make it one of the most complete racing games on PS5.
For a similar open-world alternative, The Crew Motorfest offers a festival atmosphere, large vehicle selection, and plenty of exploration.
Major titles with steering-wheel support include Gran Turismo 7, Assetto Corsa Competizione, F1 25, EA Sports WRC, and The Crew Motorfest. Compatibility varies by wheel, so check your specific model before buying.
Gran Turismo 7, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, and DIRT 5 offer strong local multiplayer options, while F1 25 supports two-player split-screen.
My First Gran Turismo is an excellent free introduction to the series. It offers a small slice of cars, circuits, and driving challenges that give you a taste of Gran Turismo 7’s more realistic style.
