Fantasy Preview: Mexican Grand Prix

Moving on in Mexico

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The lap 1 collision at the Sprint Race in Austin sent shockwaves through the F1 Fantasy community. The most popular constructor in the game, a popular DRS Boosted driver, and the asset with the second best odds to gain $0.6M all faced the dreaded 20-point DNF penalty. As everyone digs out of the wreckage of last weekend, here are some key takeaways to rebound in Mexico:

• Max Verstappen has scored 45 or more fantasy points in three of the four races since Red Bull's Monza upgrades. His win at COTA cemented his status as the must-have 2X driver this weekend.
• Drivers from the 4A light builds are starting to deliver real value for low budget teams. Kimi Antonelli and Yuki Tsunoda combined to score 59 points last weekend and Tsunoda needs -4 points or more to gain $0.6M.
• Speaking of 4A light assets, Alex Albon has now scored double digit points in 7 of the last 8 races - his midseason DNF woes appear to be past him.
• 2025 overtakes leader Oliver Bearman prepares to race at one of the top venues for overtakes the last two seasons. Last season, both Haas drivers finished in the top 10 in Mexico and the Ferrari power unit appears strong at high altitudes.
• The McLaren constructor is no longer an obvious Meta asset, but with just 2 or 3 free transfers and a host of other potential moves will many teams move on from the Papaya? Red Bull and Ferrari builds will start creeping into the discussion for this race.

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Williams Now Tier A

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Several months have passed since the last time an asset graduated from Tier B to Tier A. After COTA, however, Williams now cost $18.5M and became the newest member of the upper echelon of F1 Fantasy assets. Williams need 35 or more points to gain $0.3M this weekend, a target they achieved just three times this season, so the days of this constructor delivering big budget gains are likely over.

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Mexico Driver History

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Max Verstappen enters this weekend with five straight top-2 finishes and an equally impressive record in Mexico. He qualified P3 or better in each of the last 8 races at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez and once won five Grands Prix in a six-year span. He recorded 8 overtakes last season amid a back and forth battle with Lando Norris but ultimately the champion was handed landed multiple grid penalties that knocked him back to P6.

Oscar Piastri's grip on the World Drivers' Championship continues to loosen and his uninspiring record in Mexico should concern the McLaren faithful. The Australian qualified P17 last season and finished P8 each of the last two seasons. Piastri has failed to amass 20 or more fantasy points in three straight races after achieving the feat in 15 straight races.

Fernando Alonso's unfortunate record with DNFs extends to the Mexican Grand Prix. Earlier this season, The Fantasy Formula touted his extensive DNF history at Monza and COTA only for the Aston Martin legend to add to his retirement tally at each circuit. Alonso has retired in each of the last three Mexican Grands Prix, twice due to car failures and once due to damage from running over debris on the track.

Other noteworthy records include Carlos Sainz (2024 winner and back-to-back front row starts), Charles Leclerc (consecutive P3 finishes), and Yuki Tsunoda (3 DNFs in 4 races).

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Weather Outlook

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A dry weekend with cooler temperatures awaits after a heat advisory last weekend in Austin. Teams will still focus on keeping power units and tires cool since Mexico City sits at the highest altitude on the Formula 1 calendar. The reduced air pressure causes fewer air particles to reach these components of the car, so expect teams to introduce unique cooling louvres to combat the challenges of high altitude.

Teams still holding the No Negative chip should hold for one more race since the Brazilian Grand Prix always presents a threat of rain.

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Betting Lines

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The recent form of Max Verstappen earns him the top spot while Oscar Piastri finds himself a clear third as he works through the toughest stretch of his young career. Despite Ferrari's superior form at COTA and Charles Leclerc's history in Mexico, George Russell slots in fourth due to his remarkable consistency. Yuki's Tsunoda's second half resurgence lands him the ninth best odds, while Alex Albon rounds out the top 10.

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The Fantasy Formula returns to answer your lineup questions one hour before Qualifying, this Saturday at 4PM EST/9PM BST, only on the official FanAmp YouTube channel. See you there!