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Just three races remain before F1 Fantasy crowns a new Global League Champion. Speaking of champions, Max Verstappen can secure his fourth World Drivers' Championship this weekend if he finishes ahead of Lando Norris or if Norris finishes outside the top 10. After a thrilling debut in Las Vegas last season, will the second race under the lights in Sin City deliver another classic? Strap in as we unpack the biggest F1 Fantasy news ahead of the antepenultimate race of the 2024 season.
Williams Woes
The recent COTA-Mexico-Brazil triple header posed new challenges for James Vowles and the Williams team. Alex Albon sustained major damage after incidents in FP1 and the Grand Prix in Mexico in addition to a shunt in Qualifying that kept him out of the Brazilian Grand Prix. Making matters worse, Franco Colapinto damaged his FW46 in both Qualifying and the Grand Prix at Interlagos.
Considering the cost-cap implications of such significant repairs, rumors swirled that Williams may not have both cars ready in time for Las Vegas. "There’s no team on the grid that can cope with five major accidents in two race weekends," said Vowles after Brazil. While multiple sources have since reported that Albon and Colapinto will compete this weekend, any incident in Free Practice or Qualifying could jeopardize the team's ability to have the car ready for the Grand Prix on Saturday night.
Strategists still holding their Final Fix chip should monitor this situation closely, while teams with cost cap flexibility should consider moving to other budget driver assets this weekend.
Ready to Zhou
The rapid ascent of Franco Colapinto appears to have overshadowed the recent form of 2023 value play, Zhou Guanyu. His 6.5 points per race and $1.8M in value gained over the last six races provided a significant boost from the back of the grid. Zhou scored more points over this stretch than the aforementioned Colapinto, Pierre Gasly, Nico Hulkenberg, and both Aston Martin drivers.
With the most Q1 exits this season, Zhou often avoids any collisions in turn 1 and gains a modest number of places as attrition takes hold of the competition. Last year in Las Vegas, Zhou climbed from P17 to P15 and scored 12 fantasy points in the process. Consider Zhou a sneaky source of points in the final three races who is becoming more difficult to afford each week.
Viva Las Vegas
The title of this week's history section perfectly matches the all-new Mini League launched by F1 Fantasy for Las Vegas. The winner of this league will receive two tickets to the 2025 Las Vegas Grand Prix, while the runners up and randomly-selected strategists will receive exclusive LVGP gear. For teams still holding the 3X DRS Boost and Limitless chips, consider using them for a chance to get ahead of the field.
As for the one-race history at Las Vegas, Max Verstappen won the Grand Prix in an Elvis-inspired race suit while Lando Norris crashed out of the race on lap 3. Notably, Las Vegas turned in the second most overtakes on the entire 2023 calendar as 181 passes were made overall. A thrilling battle between Charles Leclerc and the two Red Bulls for the lead headlined the action, while Esteban Ocon and Lance Stroll rose from the back of the grid to finish P4 and P5, respectively.
Free Practice drew extra attention after a drain cover disloged into the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz, limiting the teams' ability to collect data on the new circuit as officials scrambled to secure the circuit. WIth the situation presumably under better control this year, expect a strong correlation betweeen the simulations from F1 and Rhter and the running order on Saturday night.
Weather
The forecast suggests that Las Vegas will host one of the coldest weekends for the second year in a row. Last year, concerns over grip and cold weather performance circulated heading into the weekend but ultimately played no role in the outcome of the Grand Prix. Crucially, after the extreme weather in Brazil there is no rain predicted.
Three Lineups for Three Budgets
With many teams either chasing or defending P1 in their respective Mini Leagues, each budget range includes two options. The first option maintains a traditional approach centered around the McLaren and Ferrari assets while the other relies on Max Verstappen and a strong midfield core.
$124M
This first team focuses on the double premium assets of Leclerc and Piastri while making some sacrifices at constructor, with Mercedes over ever-popular McLaren. Betting lines currently show Ferrari with the best odds of winning the Grand Prix, while Charles Leclerc starts the week nearly even with Lando Norris and Max Verstappen.
At this budget, it may be high time to take a punt on a less conventional lineup. If Verstappen clinches his fourth WDC this weekend, a second straight Driver of the Day award is on the table, meanwhile the upgraded midfield assets include Estebean Ocon (P2 in Brazil, P4 in Las Vegas last season) and Liam Lawson (11 points per race). This shift also opens enough budget for McLaren and Ferrari.
$128M
This lineup looks similar to what I'm considering for my own team this week, with Alex Albon and Oscar Piastri both available if they look strong in Free Practice. This lineup continues to be one of the most popular among teams in the top 10,000 of the Global League.
Luckily, my test team still runs Kevin Magnussen so we can illustrate the power of Verstappen plus a strong midfield. Magnussen and Hulkenberg remain among the top 5 drivers for overtakes this season. Gasly is coming off a remarkable podium appearance in Brazil but could be swapped for either VCARB driver if the Red Bull sister team looks strong early in the weekend. For those interested in Magnussen, his driver card should become active by Thursday.
$132M
In the last budget range, a Verstappen-led team really stands out. For teams looking to make a jump in the standings this week that can afford this build, consider a "super-double-premium" option.
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For those looking to hold onto their Mini League leads, a basic Norris and Piastri/Leclerc build allows one midfield upgrade: Zhou to either Gasly, Lawson, or Tsunoda. Given the recent surge from Zhou, this lineup lacks the upside of the typical lineup for a premium budget.
The Fantasy Formula are proud to share the latest collaboration with F1TV in this fantastic interview with presenter and F1.com writer, Lawrence Barretto. Lawrence discussed several topics, including the last open seat for 2025, his fantasy battle with Laura Winter, and a tradition he follows at every race location he visits. The episode drops on Monday, November 18th. This weekend, the whole team is heading to Sin City for a very special in-person show. Stay tuned for the details, you won't want to miss it!
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