If you’re looking to up your F1 fantasy game, you’ve come to the right place. Whether you’ve never played before, or you’ve competed with friends and family but have yet to pop the champagne, keep these tips in your back pocket for the upcoming season. And of course, feel free to share this article with those same friends, you know, after you’ve secured the championship. 

What does F1 Fantasy cost? 

It’s entirely free to play, but, as with most fantasy sports leagues, you will need to sign up for an account with an email and password. After that you’ll be able to create your team. 

An F1 Fantasy Team example (Source: F1.com)

How do I create an F1 Fantasy team?  

Once you’re signed in to F1 Fantasy, you’ll be able to choose 5 drivers and 2 constructors. You can create up to three teams, but only one will count toward your league standings. Choose wisely – it can be a good place to test out a new driver/constructor combo, or work out your budgeting troubles. Which brings us to…

What is my F1 Fantasy team budget? 

As part of the league, you’ll get access to a whopping $100M, but you’d be surprised how fast it can go. For example, if you wanted to have the top-valued driver and the top-valued constructor, that could take as much as 50% of your budget. They might be more reliable week-to-week, but that means filling out your roster with less experienced drivers or constructors that struggle with technical issues that may result in a DNF. A good race weekend and a difficult one can both result in big swings when it comes to overall value and leaderboards, so it’s important to keep an eye on your team’s value and make tough decisions when needed. 

What do I need to know about the leagues? 

There is a Global League (which you’ll automatically be a part of) and the option to participate in public (ex., McLaren Fans) and private leagues (family and friends). There is no minimum number of participants for a private league, so feel free to play with as many people as you’d like. If you do manage to get 10 participants, there are some fun customizations you can make to the league page like adding your own background, so keep that in mind if you were for example last year’s champion and want to refresh everyone’s memory. Just an idea! 

Are the values set at the beginning of the season or do they change? 

The dollar amount at which the drivers and constructors are valued is dynamic and can change week-to-week; a strategy that may have worked in Bahrain week one may not work the following weekend at the same track. Once the season progresses, streaks and power-ups will come into play. 

A look at driver stats to consider when making your choices

What are power-ups and how should I use them? 

Using these can get super chaotic, but what’s not to like? It can be the perfect way to shake things up especially if you’re having a tougher season with your chosen drivers and constructors. The main power-ups are chips and the DRS boost. 

• Chips can only be used once and because of that, the strategy behind them is important – for example, you may want to choose your 3x points boost on a driver that’s already getting bonus points that weekend. Drivers can accumulate points throughout the season for achievements like out-qualifying their teammate or for climbing their way up the grid on race day. You’ll be able to see the progress on these “streaks” throughout the season, but typically mid-season, these will start to accumulate more and that’s when certain chips become more valuable. 
• The DRS Boost is a power-up that can be used every week, but again, has to be chosen with care. It will double the point value of any driver for that race week, but that also means a DNF or the impact of a 5-second penalty down the grid can be doubled in value. It’s important to consider the track, the history of the driver at this track, and the current condition of the constructor and the driver before deciding. 

Should I choose my favorite team for my fantasy team? 

It depends. Of course, if your favorite team just won the Driver and Constructors championship (hey Red Bull!), then it’ll likely be a good choice. But as mentioned, these values are dynamic and can change on a dime. This is something that many fantasy sports enthusiasts struggle with so you’re absolutely not alone in wanting to follow your heart – but in the end, think about the balance between who you really want to support and who you can afford with the finances you have. You can start the season with one lineup and end with one that’s completely different, so start with a balanced team and adjust as you go!