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After one of the quietest summer breaks in recent memory, Formula 1 returns to action this weekend at Zandvoort. The F1 Fantasy community prepares for a divide as multiple 4-Tier A lineups come into focus, while an all-new Mini League features a prize never before offered by Formula 1. Strap as in we review the top F1 Fantasy headlines for the Dutch Grand Prix.
A £2000 Mini League!?
F1 Fantasy just launched the Mid-Season Masters Mini League, a one-week showdown for the Dutch Grand Prix with a winner-take-all prize of £2000. This is the first cash prize ever offered by the official F1 Fantasy game and hundreds of teams signed up within the first few hours. Contestants can enter any one of their three teams and in the event of a tie, Formula 1 will draw a winner at random to receive the prize.
The Limitless chip provides the best chance for a high score this week since it unlocks unlimited budget and free transfers. Based on current betting lines and simulations, the ideal Limitless team consists of Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris, Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, and George Russell with the Ferrari and McLaren constructors. While 99% of the Top 500 teams in the Global League used the DRS Boost on Piastri, consider a differential play by boosting Norris (winner of 3 out of the last 4 races) or Verstappen in his home race (and has never finished lower than P2 at Zandvoort).
Teams with exceptional budgets could look to use the Extra DRS chip and run a Piastri/Verstappen combination with McLaren and Ferrari. This team starts at a blistering $132.6M, but a few strategists spent the first 14 races saving up to dominate second half leagues. Creativity will be the key to victory since the last one-week Mini League, 2024's Shanghai Showdown, ended with over 1000 P1 teams.
Shift Happens: 4-Tier A Meta Review
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As F1 Fantasy budgets exceed $120M, new options become available for Zandvoort this weekend. Let's review the top options and what to look for as the weekend unfolds:
- PIA/ANT/MCL/FER (starts at $120.3M) - This entry into the 4-Tier A lineups depends heavily on which Kimi Antonelli we see this weekend. The Italian rookie averaged 22.6 fantasy points over his first five races, but Mercedes' reliability and a rare mental error at Austria torpedoed his scoring to just 1.1 points per race over his last nine. If Antonelli shows strong pace in Free Practice or rain levels the playing field for Mercedes, this lineup stands out compared to a basic PIA/MCL/FER team with price gaining Tier B drivers.
- PIA/RUS/MCL/MER (starts at $122.2M) - Players have waited a long time to run George Russell alongside Piastri and, for many, the wait is over. Russell averages 12.3 points per race more than Tier B star Nico Hulkenberg and qualified P3 and P4 in his last two races at Zandvoort. Looking to repeat his P3 and Fastest Lap at Hungary, Russell stands out as one of the safest assets on the grid. The viability of this team depends on the Mercedes constructor and Kimi Antonelli. MER need the bonus for sending both drivers into Q3 and a top-10 performance from Kimi to reduce the gap to Ferrari.
- PIA/RUS/MCL/FER (starts at $126.8M) - For teams with bigger budgets, this lineup pairs two of the safest Tier A drivers with the top two constructors. Russell sits just behind Charles Leclerc for P4 in the opening betting lines for the week, while this lineup avoids exposure to Antonelli as he looks to regain his early season form. Keep an eye on the Ferrari constructor: the runaway pit stop points leader tallied just 20 pit stop points over the last three races while Red Bull scored 50. If Red Bull regains its 2024 pit stop dominance down the stretch, Ferrari stands to lose 5 points per race and narrow the gap to Mercedes.
- PIA/LEC/MCL/FER (starts at $128.3) - The richest lineup of the bunch introduces Charles Leclerc as the second Tier A driver and avoids all exposure to Mercedes. At circuits that favor Ferrari, including Monza next week, this lineup could score significantly more points than a PIA/MCL/FER team. Using the Extra DRS Boost on a PIA/LEC build at COTA or Qatar should also pack a punch.
Weather Outlook
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As it stands now, light rain could impact both Qualifying and the Grand Prix. A wet Zandvoort gave us an unprecedented 240 overtakes in 2023 as teams experimented with transitions from intermediate to slick tires. Wet conditions would favor Mercedes (perform better in cool temperatures) and Aston Martin (both drivers looked strong in previous wet races) but adds more DNF risks to the rookies.
Betting Lines
The opening lines for this week predict the usual suspects will finish in the top 5. Aston Martin (P7 and P9) and Sauber (P10 and P11) both start the week in favorable positions for teams considering a Tier B constructor. The Williams duo, meanwhile, start the week ahead of only Franco Colapinto in a backmarker Alpine. Keep an eye on Williams in Free Practice, since Carlos Sainz has the fourth lowest target (10 points) among the Tier B drivers for a maximum price gain and could be a popular choice this weekend.
The Fantasy Formula returns to answer your lineup questions one hour before Qualifying, this Saturday at 8AM EST/1PM BST, only on the official FanAmp YouTube channel. See you there!
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