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Welcome new and returning F1 Fantasy strategists! This beginner's guide covers the fundamentals and new rules introduced to F1's official fantasy game for the 2025 season so you can dominate the competition. Be sure to check back regularly as new FAQs will be added throughout the season.
What is F1 Fantasy?
Starting with Race #1 in Australia, players select five drivers and two constructors every race weekend. You can build up to three teams per F1.com account, but only the first team (T1) is eligible for prizes. Lineups lock each week at the start of Qualifying except for the six Sprint weekends, at which lineups lock at the start of the Sprint race. Be sure to finalize your teams at least five minutes before the deadline in case the app experiences any issues. Teams created after the lineup deadline incur a ten point penalty.
Teams score points based on the outcomes of Qualifying, Sprint, and the Grand Prix - details on the scoring system can be found on the F1 Game Rules page. After each race, points are tallied and league leaderboards are updated. Players that score the most points over the entire season win great prizes, including tickets to future F1 events and F1 Authentics vouchers.
How do I join an F1 Fantasy League?
All teams default to the Global League, so players can see where they stand among all the players around the world. Based on a few survey questions at the time of registration, players may also slot into leagues based on where they live, their favorite constructor, and favorite driver. The game allows players to create three types of leagues: Public Leagues are open for anyone to join, Private Leagues require an invitation, and Head-to-Head Battlemode leagues pit two players against each other in a season-long battle for the ultimate bragging rights.
When entering a new league, players select a team (if they created more than one) to compete.
Tip: Be sure to join The Fantasy Formula's dedicated league and pin it for easy access. Then tune in to each week on YouTube, where we reveal the top players on our league leaderboard.
What is my starting budget?
New teams begin the season with $100M to select drivers and constructors. If an asset costs more than a player's remaining cost cap, the game prevents the player from adding it to their team. On rare occasions the game allows players to add assets to their team that exceed the cost cap but will prevent them from saving their lineup on the next screen (a common glitch in previous seasons).
At the end of each race weekend the game reassesses the value of each driver and constructor based on their performance. Drivers that excelled in the race typically gain value and drivers that DNF or underperform lose value. A team's cost cap increases or decreases based on the value change of its assets. For example, if a team starts with $100M and one driver's value increases by $1M, that team's cost cap increases to $101M for the following week. By the end of the season cost caps can reach upwards of $130M.
For advantaged techniques to grow your budget, refer to this detailed guide.
What is the 2X DRS Boost?
Players select one driver to receive the 2X DRS Boost. This powerup doubles the score of that driver but beware, if a driver finishes the weekend with a negative score the 2X DRS Boost doubles everything. For example, DNFs trigger a 20-point penalty so drivers with the 2X DRS Boost would score -40 if they failed to reach the checkered flag.
A rare glitch observed in previous years, sometimes the game allows players to select a constructor for the 2X DRS Boost. In this case, the game will prevent the player from saving their lineup until they assign it to a driver.
How do transfers work?
For the first race, teams can make unlimited transfers as they look to assemble the ultimate fantasy team. After that, the game allows two free transfers until lineups lock for the next race. Players can carry up to one unused free transfer to the following race for a maximum of three free transfers. After using the free transfers, each subsequent transfer costs ten points.
This also reinforces an important tip for new players: wait until after Free Practice 3 to set your lineup since crashes, set up changes, or performance swings in the session may shift the predicted points for fantasy assets.
What advice would you give new players?
F1 Fantasy poses several challenges for new players, including digesting the rules and scoring system, selecting a strong team with a $100M cost cap, and learning about the six powerup chips. This might seem overwhelming but once the season starts there are three simple tips to ensure your team finishes in the top 25% in the Global League rankings.
1. Make Two Teams: One to Love and One to Win
The most common mistake new fantasy players make is creating a team full of their favorite drivers. While fans adore Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, and Valtteri Bottas, these drivers rarely featured on winning fantasy teams in 2024. Their points scored per million dollars of salary (points per million, or PPM) lagged behind Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc, and Max Verstappen.
To balance fun and success, create one team full of your favorite drivers to cheer on every race weekend. Meanwhile, build a second team using the advice of fantasy experts such as The Fantasy Formula or highly informed simulations from F1FantasyTools.com. The game allows each account to compete with up to three teams, so mix and match different lineups for more chances to win.
2. Get Ahead with a Solid Chip Strategy
To maximize the value of the six powerup chips, carefully plan the best opportunities to use them instead of deploying several chips in the first month of the season. This helpful Chip Guide explains how each chip works and shares some strategies on when to use them.
3. Win the War of Attrition (Stick with It!)
The most effective way to beat 75% of fantasy players is to outlast them. Many fans lose interest after the first month if they fall behind in their leagues, while others forget to set their lineups on Sprint weekends and when lineups lock in the middle of the night.
Abandoned teams roll over week after week while the game evolves, providing great opportunities for active players to improve their ranking. In 2023, my team finished among the top 0.2% in the world but didn't crack the top 100,000 teams in the Global League until the tenth race of the season. Even with careful planning and a solid strategy, it often takes months to substantially improve your ranking.
Other Frequently Asked Questions
Why would the game not apply the 20-point penalty to a driver that Did Not Finish?
Technically, the penalty only applies when a driver does not classify in the race. Drivers that complete greater than 90% of the race distance classify, even if they do not finish the race.
Why did my driver receive a 5-point penalty in Qualifying?
To classify in Qualifying, drivers must post a time quicker than 107% of the fastest lap in Q1. If a driver fails to post such a "representative lap time", the official classification will list them as "NC" and the game assesses a 5-point penalty.
How many points will an Inactive driver score?
Inactive drivers receive the Not Classified penalty for every event in a race weekend: -5 points for Qualifying, -20 points for a Sprint race, and -20 points for the Grand Prix.
Be sure to check out our F1 Fantasy Guides for details on how to use the six powerup chips, how to grow your team budget, and much more. If you have questions be sure to join The Fantasy Formula community by downloading the FanAmp app. You can also watch The Fantasy Formula on the official FanAmp YouTube channel every race week for detailed lineup advice, exclusive interviews, and a breakdown of the latest news.
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