F1 Fantasy: top picks & predictions for the Las Vegas GP
It's time for a big payout at the 2025 Las Vegas GP – Here are our predictions; tips on drivers to avoid; which chips to play and further analysis
Choosing your lead Vegas driver might be a tough one
McLaren
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Putting it all on black or red for racing’s roulette wheel; hoping you’ll get your P-Zeros lined up on Pirelli’s strategy fruit machine, etc.
Roll out the clichés, we’re all set for wear and graining in Las Vegas at this weekend’s high stakes grand prix. Will you gamble and win big in F1 Fantasy?
The game’s fallen hero Oscar Piastri is all out of luck, while Max Verstappen delivered in spades by overtaking most of the field on his way to third in Brazil.
Verstappen rips through the field – as usual
Red Bull
With Norris now in the championship driving seat though, McLaren is the team to be backing for the headline results.
The Las Vegas circuit is an outlier on the calendar, a high-speed street chase held in the desert night where temperatures can drop unusually low for an F1 race.
It’s a lot to contend with in the dry, never mind the wet, with some forecasting rain for the weekend.
No reason to worry, as our full F1 Fantasy guide is here to guide you through the pitfalls of Sin City’s very own grand prix.
Motor Sport’s 2025 Las Vegas GP F1 Fantasy choices: New heroes emerge
End of the F1 Fantasy road for Piastri?
Grand Prix Photo
Never count out Max Verstappen ($29.5m). His Sao Paulo sprint winnings, plus blasting from the back with an incredible 13 overtakes in the grand prix itself, meant he actually scored more Fantasy points (63) than sprint and race-winner Lando Norris (49) who costs more at $30.5m.
We’d advise sticking with the Dutchman for now, unless Red Bull look like total losers in the practice sessions and Norris is out in front. In theory McLaren’s Pirelli-preserving prowess should be nullified by the cold Nevada desert winds, but you just never know in F1!
Our recent switch back to Ollie Bearman ($8.9m) has paid off, the Ferrari junior being on fire for Haas in recent races, proving again why he might be this year’s F1 Fantasy star with a sixth place finish in Brazil, scoring 30 Fantasy points. He’s an essential member of your team at the moment.
Carlos Sainz ($6.5m) might have had a slightly anonymous race in Brazil, but he finished higher than he finished, snaring a handy 15 Fantasy big ones. The Williams man is one of the current bargain buys and should be in your squad.
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We switched out Liam Lawson ($5.9m) for his Racing Bulls team-mate Isack Hadjar ($5.7m) in Brazil, but there was only one Fantasy point in the Kiwi’s favour at Interlagos. The thrill-a-minute Frenchman should be good value in Vegas though, so keep him in your Fantasy team at the moment.
The final man in our team Gabriel Bortoleto had an absolute shocker in Brazil, crashing out twice to end on -24 points. We’ll give him a stay of execution though, as at $6.7m you could afford to switch him out for Lawson in Qatar if the poor form carries on.
McLaren ($35.9m) picked up a handy 63 Fantasy points despite Piastri’s best efforts, but the real F1 Fantasy winner was Mercedes ($27.8m) with 91. The Brackley squad is better in cold conditions and won last year in Vegas, so it’s best to pair it with the Papaya squad.
Which F1 Fantasy chips should I use at the 2025 Las Vegas GP?
If you have any chips (last gambling reference) left, then save them for the Qatar sprint!
Motor Sport 2025 F1 Fantasy 2025 Las Vegas GP line-up
