The balance between cost cap growth and maximizing points will be put to the test this weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix. F1 Fantasy players with at least $121M can run two elite drivers and prioritize points in the penultimate Sprint weekend of the Formula 1 season. This week’s Buy and Sell rankings highlight the difficult decisions at the top of the grid, along with an unusually thin crop of reliable midfield drivers.
The Biggest Threat to Antonelli
Lando Norris looks to return to the podium at Zandvoort after scoring 35 or more fantasy points in three straight races. The 2024 Dutch Grand Prix winner retired due to a late engine failure last year while running P2. McLaren introduced a significant upgrade package in Hungary, and Andrea Stella suggested recently that more upgrades are coming after the summer break.
Sportsbooks currently predict Norris will finish P2. The 2025 World Champion poses the biggest threat to Kimi Antonelli as the top 2X Boosted driver in F1 Fantasy. For $124M, players can select both Antonelli and Norris for a powerful 4A lineup.
The Ferrari Fantasy Lock
F1 Fantasy's top scoring driver since Silverstone, Charles Leclerc finished on the podium at this race in 2022 and 2024. He remains one of the most consistent qualifiers on the grid, with nine starts on the front two rows of the grid in eleven Grands Prix.
As Ferrari prepare more aerodynamic upgrades and a second round of ADUO improvements, Leclerc should become a more popular pick as the second half unfolds. Sportsbooks predict another top-4 finish for Leclerc, making both him and the Ferrari constructor strong picks this weekend.
Home Cooking for Verstappen
In what could be his final home race, Max Verstappen enters the weekend with a streak of five straight Dutch Grand Prix podiums. Verstappen leads the grid with four Driver of the Day awards this season and is the favorite to extend that lead on Sunday. Podium finishes in Belgium and Hungary suggest Verstappen's early season concerns with his RB22 are behind him.
As the second most expensive driver in F1 Fantasy, Verstappen is a high-upside differential and a wet weather specialist if rain impacts any sessions this weekend.
For a full breakdown of the best teams for this weekend, the most likely drivers to gain value, and the top F1 Fantasy news, check out the latest episode of The Fantasy Formula:
Unsung Hero of the Midfield
One of the most consistent budget drivers in the game, Gabriel Bortoleto scored 5 or more fantasy points in eight straight races and enters the weekend with seven consecutive price increases. He needs just 4 points to gain another $0.2M in Zandvoort and has avoided the reliability issues that plagued his teammate, Nico Hülkenberg — Bortoleto's last Grand Prix retirement was ten races ago in China.
Whether you're building budget or running a 4A lineup this weekend, Bortoleto is the top driver under $8M.
Aston on the Ascent
Aston Martin finally showed signs of life in Hungary, with Lance Stroll completing a season-high 8 overtakes and scoring 15 fantasy points. The team promised a significant upgrade to its Honda power unit this weekend as well as additional aerodynamic enhancements.
Betting lines currently place Stroll ahead of eight drivers on Sunday. However, he may start at the back of the grid if these power unit upgrades exceed his allocation for the season. This would give Stroll more opportunities to complete overtakes and raise his scoring ceiling in F1 Fantasy. At the price floor of $3M, Stroll escapes the Sell category for the first time this season and becomes a must-have driver if he faces a grid penalty.
Worried about Williams
One of the most promising midfield drivers entering the season, Alex Albon and Williams slid to the back of the grid in recent weeks. Since his impressive P8 finish in Monaco, Albon failed to finish higher than P15 and scored a total of -15 fantasy points in the five races that followed.
His 9-point target for a $0.2M budget gain may entice some players, but with Williams waiting until Baku to install their next upgrades, Albon should be avoided until that package arrives.
The Cost Cap Trap
Despite a grid-leading $2.4M in value gained since Austria, Arvid Lindblad faces a challenging cost cap gain target at Zandvoort. He needs 20 points to gain another $0.6M while seven Tier B drivers have easier targets. Despite finishing ninth at Spa and tenth in Hungary, Lindblad scored just 9 fantasy points across the two races.
Fantasy players should fade Lindblad for this round and consider replacing him with the surging Fernando Alonso.
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