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McLaren
Once the titans of the constructor rankings, McLaren find themselves on the Fence since the last month has proven they are no longer a must-have asset. The papaya-clad team look to recover at a circuit that they normally perform well at. Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris took a 1-2 finish in the Sprint race last season, with Piastri also standing on the Grand Prix podium.
The recent form of Red Bull poses the biggest threat to McLaren's viability this weekend. The energy drink constructor scored 80 or more fantasy points in three of the last four races, including consecutive races with 25 points from pit stops alone. Moving from McLaren to Red Bull may allow some teams to run the duo of Norris and Max Verstappen, unlocking a potent 4A combination on the last strong Extra DRS Boost weekend of the year.
Max Verstappen
In the debate of which driver deserves the DRS Boost this weekend, Verstappen opens as the favorite. Despite a strong run from Lando Norris that saw him reclaim the lead in the World Drivers' Championship, Verstappen actually scored more fantasy points than the lead McLaren driver in seven of the last eight races. Since the summer break, Verstappen has outscored the Briton with 340 fantasy points compared to Norris's 153 points.
Verstappen also carries the best record at Qatar on the grid, winning each of the last two Grands Prix from pole position. Sportsbooks currently predict Verstappen will extend that streak this weekend, while Norris looks to regain momentum after a disastrous disqualification in Las Vegas.
Kimi Antonelli
Over the last three races, only Max Verstappen scored more fantasy points than the Italian rookie. He became the first driver to exit in Q1 that finished on the podium since Verstappen in Brazil last season and also the seventh driver to earn seven or more podiums in their debut season.
Antonelli can be used as a high-upside #2 driver alongside either Verstappen or Norris, or in creative scenarios as part of a Verstappen-Norris-Antonelli with McLaren and VCARB lineup. His versatility and cost cap building potential propelled Kimi to the top of the Tier B rankings this weekend.
Oscar Piastri
For teams running George Russell, Piastri presents a differential option for the penultimate race of 2025. Over 67% of the Global League Top 500 selected Russell compared to just 0.6% with Piastri. The Australian posted back-to-back podiums at this circuit in his only two appearances in Qatar while he also won the Sprint race last season.
Piastri optimists could point to Russell's streak of completing every competitive lap so far this season. Only four drivers, including Piastri himself, have completed every lap in an entire season. If bad luck befalls Russell this weekend, alternative options like Piastri stand to benefit the most.
Fernando Alonso
The two-time champion has endured a forgettable season, leading the grid with 7 DNFs while repeatedly declaring his excitement bid farewell to the AMR25. As fantasy strategists look for high upside drivers Alonso's history at Qatar warrants a closer look. In three appearances, Alonso reached Q3 three times and finished with championship points in all three as well.
Crucially, Alonso sits on the F1 Fantasy price floor of $4.5M. Selecting budget drivers with high upside frees up enough budget to improve constructor and top driver pairings, while his price is protected against any further decreases.
Gabriel Bortoleto
While the final weeks of the season open the doors to some audacious risks, Bortoleto is mired one of the worst stretches of his young career. DNFs in three of his last four competitive sessions resulted in a 55-point target to avoid a $0.6M price drop. Betting lines currently slot Bortoleto 19th for this Sunday, ahead of only Franco Colapinto, a sign that the Sauber youngster will need to prove these incidents are behind him before he can be trusted again.
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