Can A Former Champion End His Mexican GP DNF Streak? | F1 Fantasy Preview

Alonso's Unlucky Mexican GP History

A popular low-price option in Austin, Fernando Alonso looks to conquer a race that he failed to finish in each of the last four seasons and six times in total. The victim of five reliability failures and one collision, Alonso has never recorded a positive score under the modern rules of F1 Fantasy.

Aston Martin has already logged 18 DNFs on the season, six more than any other team. Alonso should be avoided until he proves he can complete a race at this circuit, regardless of price and cost cap gain target.

At the top of the grid, Lando Norris won this race in 2025, his second consecutive podium in Mexico. Once Mercedes unveil their ADUO2 power unit, McLaren will likely take an engine penalty for Norris, who last replaced his power unit in July at Spa. If Norris starts this race at the back of the grid, he would be a high-differential option for the 2X Boost.

Fantasy strategists are hoping for another stellar result in Mexico for Oliver Bearman. His P4 finish and 36 fantasy points in this race last season were both career-bests. Bearman looks to rebound after retiring at the United States Grand Prix, but his 12-point target to gain $0.2M this weekend shouldn't be a deal-breaker.

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Looking Ahead: How to Handle Potential Qatar/Abu Dhabi Cancellations

The talk of the paddock in Austin was whether the races at Qatar and Abu Dhabi will move ahead as scheduled. A recent attack on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport, plus the United States' removal of all non-emergency personnel from Saudi Arabia, raised concerns over the safety of the drivers and fans in the final two rounds.

The FIA reaffirmed their commitment to these races, but reports surfaced that the sport's governing body is preparing Imola to host a race on an emergency basis.

If the schedule is shortened any further, two F1 Fantasy-relevant points emerge:

1. Time is running out to use chips. Las Vegas should be targeted as the latest possible chance to play any unused chips to ensure that no chips are wasted if these races are cancelled.
2. The timeline to experiment with ADUO2 power units as part of 2027 development may be moved up if the threat of cancellations increases. Top drivers may elect to take engine penalties over the next three races, thrusting new drivers onto the F1 Fantasy radar

For Mexico and Brazil, keep an eye out for news of engine penalties and be ready to use the Autopilot and Final Fix chips to ensure the best driver receives the 2X Boost.

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Weather Outlook

The early forecast reveals a chance of rain on Friday and Saturday afternoon. As teams dial in their setup at a high altitude circuit that stresses the power units, Free Practice may not be representative of the conditions on Sunday. Meanwhile, rain during Saturday's qualifying session could shuffle the starting positions for the Grand Prix.