Best and Worst F1 Fantasy Assets for the Japanese Grand Prix

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Lewis Hamilton

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For the first time in recent history, Lewis Hamilton stands out as a top F1 Fantasy asset. His 73 total fantasy points and 24 overtakes rank fourth among all drivers, while his 1.62 points per million rank third among tier A drivers. Ferrari's elite race starts and tight, but respectful, battling between Hamilton and Charles Leclerc provide a safe scoring floor for all three Ferrari assets.

Teams looking to build a 2-Tier A constructor lineup for the upcoming Sprint weekends will turn to Hamilton as a stable, low cost 2X Boosted driver. Others may deploy Hamilton as a high-upside #2 driver alongside Kimi Antonelli, a Tier A constructor, and a Tier B constructor such as Haas or Racing Bulls. After years of overpricing the seven-time World Champion, Lewis's return to F1 Fantasy relevance comes as a welcomed change of pace.

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Max Verstappen

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After exploding for 50 fantasy points in Australia, Verstappen's Chinese Grand Prix ended with a DNF following another reliability issue for the RB22. In every race this season, Verstappen has struggled to launch off the line, thrusting his car into the unpredictable battles of the midfield. His ascent back up the grid led to a staggering 45 overtakes but Red Bull still lack the pace to contend with Mercedes and Ferrari. Verstappen has yet to qualify higher than P8, and as the highest priced driver in F1 Fantasy, his upside is tied more to overtakes than race-winning potential.

Verstappen's record at Suzuka earns him a seat on the Fence despite his recent challenges. Four straight wins from pole position in Japan stands as the best active streak for any driver at a circuit currently on the F1 calendar. If Free Practice reveals signs of improvement for Red Bull, Verstappen earns a place in Limitless lineups and as a high risk/high reward 2X-Boosted driver.

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Oscar Piastri

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The reigning Constructors' Champions endured a nightmare start to the 2026 season. Piastri became the first driver in F1 history to DNS the first two races of the campaign, while both McLaren drivers missed the Chinese Grand Prix due to various technical issues. He needs an impossible 66 points to avoid a maximum price loss of $0.3M.

Better days await McLaren, but for now only consider Piastri for the fifth driver on a Limitless team if his pace looks strong in Free Practice. He costs more than Kimi Antonelli, Charles Leclerc, and Lewis Hamilton, but only Lance Stroll scored fewer F1 Fantasy points this season.

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For a full breakdown of the best teams for this weekend, themost likely drivers to gain value, and the latest betting lines, check out thelatest episode of The Fantasy Formula:

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Pierre Gasly

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Lost in the excitement of Kimi Antonelli's maiden F1 victory, Gasly finished the Chinese Grand Prix P6, his best result since the 2025 British Grand Prix. The P19 scorer in F1 Fantasy from last season currently ranks P10 after two race weekends. Gasly and Ollie Bearman are the only two drivers in Tier B to score double digit fantasy points in Australia and China.

As the second most expensive driver in Tier B at $12.8M, Gasly only makes sense for low-budget teams running two-Tier A assets with high upside midfield drivers. If Alpine continue to challenge for points, Gasly could usurp the Haas duo as the most valuable Tier B driver.

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Sergio Perez

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For teams struggling to afford the Haas and Racing Bulls drivers, Perez delivered a shocking 20 points from 13 overtakes in China. He needs -1 point to gain $0.6M, the fourth lowest target in Tier B. Cadillac's reliability remains a concern but teams with Perez entering the weekend should keep the Mexican driver rostered and ride the hot hand.

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Haas

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The P3 constructor in fantasy scoring, Haas re-established their overtaking prowess with 39 passes in China. As one of four constructors to avoid DNFs in both Grands Prix and the Sprint race, Haas edges out Racing Bulls as the top Tier B constructor due to their fast race starts and (currently) superior reliability.

As we approach the final races before a Mercedes/Ferrari meta, Haas can gain $0.6M with at least -68 fantasy points — not even a double disqualification will prevent Haas from a grid-leading $1.8M value gained after this weekend.

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