2024 F1 Fantasy full guide: leagues, tips, plus updated rules and scoring

F1 Fantasy

The best driver and constructor predictions ahead of the 2024 F1 campaign, as well as some need to know tips and tricks for the new season and info on the latest rules and scoring updates

2023 Abu Dhabi Grand prix

From Bahrain to Abu Dhabi — here's how to stay at the very top of the F1 Fantasy leaderboards

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The 2024 F1 season is officially underway, so it’s time to hop into the team principal hot-seat, pick your 2024 F1 Fantasy line-ups and join the Motor Sport league.

There are some rule changes but the basics stay the same as last year: with a $100 million cost cap per team, players can pick up to three teams, each consisting of five drivers and two constructors who will score points across the season. These are based on how well they perform in qualifying, sprint races and grands prix, where points are available for places gained as well as finishing positions.

Each driver and constructor is initially valued based on their previous performance: reigning world champion Max Verstappen ($30m) and Red Bull ($27.9m) being the most costly picks in both categories.

The rule tweaks will affect some of your tactical choices. They include changes to Chips as well as heightened penalties for exceeding your transfer allowance, new driver prices and the return of Head-to-Head leagues. 

Here’s a run down of all the new rules and scoring systems as well as a few tips and tricks that can help you in your bid. For more advice on choosing your team for the first race of the season, see our F1 Fantasy Bahrain Grand Prix tips and predictions.

 

What’s new to F1 Fantasy in 2024?

The 2024 Fantasy season will feel and act in a very similar way to 2023, only with a few minor changes.

Chips

The No Negative Chip is the only chip that has been adapted ahead of the new campaign. Previously, when activated, this limited a player’s loss at zero points when any of their drivers scored a negative over a grand prix weekend. But instead of being applied to their overall total, this chip will now apply to the individual categories in which the driver scored a negative.

This will theoretically allow players to achieve higher points totals when this chip is applied — increasing its effectiveness.

However, even when this chip is applied, players will still face an increased penalty for making too many changes to their driver line-up ahead of each race weekend.

New penalty for excessive transfers 

Any player who makes more than two driver/constructor swaps will now be deducted 10 points instead of 4 for every additional transfer.

This hefty penalty should force players to stick with a main line-up while only making limited changes week-to-week and taking the rough with the smooth — rather than taking a points hit to swap in teams and drivers that look strong on a particular track.

Battle mode Unleashed: Head-to-Head Leagues

Back by popular demand, Head-to-Head Leagues will make a return to F1 Fantasy in 2024. Unlike the regular league format, players will compete directly against other competitors in a 1v1 style competition, with the winner being determined by whoever scores the most points over that particular race weekend. The league format will act much like a round robin, in which you’ll compete head-to-head against everyone in your league at least once throughout the season.

By the end of the season, the player with the most 1v1 victories from 24 different races will ultimately be crowned champion.

 

F1 Fantasy deadlines

Similarly to last year, the deadline for locking your team comes after the third practice session ahead of the race. There’s a prominent countdown clock on the team selection page, to help you make the cut. The system changes slightly for sprint weekend, with the deadline coming into effect at the end of the first and only practice session of the weekend. In Bahrain, the F1 Fantasy deadline will expire after FP3 on March 1 at 1.30pm.

But if you still need to make a last minute change ahead of the competitive action, the ‘Final Fix’ chip allows you to make one transfer between qualifying and the race. So if Logan Sargeant clinches pole after a haphazard Monte Carlo qualifying session, that’s probably your opportunity to play it.

 

Main contenders – drivers

Driver Reason
Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen portrait
$30m
After 34 race wins and 19 pole positions in the last three seasons, it’s no wonder that Max Verstappen is the most expensive driver on the F1 Fantasy grid. The Dutchman remained almost unmatched throughout last season and will hope to carry this form ahead into 2024.

The price of that dominance means you’ll have to dish out almost a third of your budget to have Verstappen in your line-up ahead of the first race of the season in Bahrain. Nevertheless, neither Red Bull or Verstappen have shown an indication of slowing down and look to be favourites for the majority of the 2024 season…again.

Charles Leclerc 
Charles Leclerc portrait
$19.1m
Despite two seasons of ups and downs for Charles Leclerc and Ferrari in 2022 and ’23, he looks set to challenge at the very front once again in ’24. He finished with a flurry of pole positions and podium finishes last year, and eventually finished a close fifth in the drivers’ standings.

But now with a car that hopes to be faster, stronger and a little closer to Red Bull, Leclerc could finally become a reliable and prized option for F1 Fantasy players — and for $10.9m less than Verstappen, he will be a great value option if Ferrari begin its season on the front foot.

Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton portrait
$19.3m
Lewis Hamilton‘s final season for Mercedes — before a blockbuster move to Ferrari in 2025 — will the seven-time world champion attempt to end his tenure at Brackley on a high note.

The Briton was the second-best driver on the grid in 2023, and with a re-imagined Mercedes W15 underneath him, he could contend at the front on a more consistent basis in 2024, making him a great option for F1 Fantasy players looking for a reliable option.

 

Drivers to watch

Driver Reason
Alex Albon
Alex Albon portrait
$7m
Alex Albon is arguably the hottest ticket in F1 right now. With rumoured links with Red Bull and Mercedes, the Thai driver will be looking to impress once again throughout the 2024 campaign and for $7m he may be the biggest bang-for-your-buck driver on the current grid. Although he often qualified toward the rear of the field, his superior race pace allowed him to gradually climb his way to the midfield, scoring 63 overtaking points as he went.

The only possible draw-back could once again be the car underneath him, as Williams team principal has stated that the team could take a step back this year in order to make greater leaps up the grid in the years to come. But should the car continue last year’s progress, Albon could certainly be a regular midfield contender…

Pierre Gasly 
Pierre Gasly portrait
$7.8m
Both Pierre Gasly and Alpine team-mate Esteban Ocon have been priced surprisingly low to start the 2024 campaign. The Enstone outfit was  inconsistent in 2023, but did show pace at times. Gasly himself scored the team’s last podium finish at Zandvoort, and was able to finish above Ocon in the drivers’ standings.

With a ‘back-to-front’ redesign for its 2024 car, Alpine is hoping to be back in the thick of the midfield and perhaps challenging the front-runners. Having already proven himself as a race winner in much slower machinery, Gasly could be ready to re-announce himself as one of the grid’s best and for $7.8m, he’s priced keenly if you’re willing to gamble on Alpine.

Lando Norris
Lando Norris portrait
$23m
Ranked among the very best in 2023, Lando Norris has been given a significant price hike ahead of the 2024 season and is currently the second most expensive driver on the grid.

The Briton finished a point shy of fourth in the drivers’ standings last year but still managed to secured seven podium finishes. With a new contract and a renewed faith in McLaren‘s abilities to produce a race-winning car, Norris could build on the success of last season and become a genuine title threat in 2024.

But should McLaren slip back once again, Norris’ inflated price tag could quickly put him on the list of F1 Fantasy drivers’ to avoid.


There are other notable options worth considering — depending on how much of your budget is going spare. Sergio Perez will be hoping bring the fight to Verstappen in the final year of his current Red Bull contract and should he find form, the Mexican could be good value for a world title contender at $20.8m.

Further back, Fernando Alonso will be hoping to remain on top form after finishing an impressive fourth in the drivers’ standings last year. As a result, the Spaniard is $7.5m more expensive than he was at the start of last season, but even for $15.8m he could still be a great value option.

If you’re looking for a cut-price option to fit in your driver line-up, then Daniel Ricciardo ($9m) or Yuki Tsunoda ($8m) could be your men. With development of the VISA Cash App RB team now falling more in-line with Red Bull’s own, both drivers could be expected to be regular midfield contenders as the season progresses — possibly resulting in critical F1 Fantasy points bonuses.

 

Drivers to avoid

Adopting a similar thought process to Williams team principal James Vowles, newly promoted Haas leader Ayao Komatsu has warned that his team will start on the back foot in 2024 — with the hope of better returns in the long run. Not only will this perhaps have the team’s sponsors and fans worried about the coming season, but it also spells bad news for F1 Fantasy players who were hoping to bag a bargain by having Nico Hülkenberg ($6.4m) or Kevin Magnussen ($6.2m) in their line-up.

Both drivers had numerous mediocre outings in 2023, and were hoping to improve in ’24 but it looks as if their efforts will be limited by the machinery underneath them. Similarly, Logan Sargeant ($5.5m) could be in for another season behind the wheel of an underperforming car, but with doubts over his ability still lingering, it’s probably best to avoid the American for the time being — even for just $5.5m — as the penalty for mistakes and DNFs remains high.

 

Teams

Mercedes and Aston Martin on track on 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix weekend

The dream team? Mercedes and Aston Martin

Lars Baron/Getty Images

Like last year, F1 Fantasy players are able to pick two constructors to support over the course of the 2024 F1 season. For your initial holding team (which can be changed until the end of free practice three on March 1 at 1.30pm) we recommend pairing Red Bull ($27.9m) with a midfield outfit such as Visa Cash App RB ($8.5m) or Alpine ($8.4m). Not only does this leave players with a $64m budget for their drivers, but it will also allow you take advantage of almost all of the possible point-scoring opportunities — from overtakes and positions gained to pole positions and race wins.

Other obvious options include Mercedes, Ferrari or McLaren, but it’s worth waiting until after pre-season testing to better assess their pace.

Given their performance in 2023 and their collective attitudes toward how they’ll approach the 2024 campaign, leaving Williams and Haas out of your line-up is probably a good idea for now.

 

Top F1 Fantasy tips

Whether you decide to pick from our own selection or blaze your own trail, there are some tips to avoid losing out on big point hauls, and potentially making significant gains.

Avoid cheap drivers

Cheaper drivers, although handy for filling out more expensive driver lineups, are unlikely to score qualifying points. So in order to make up the deficit, pick those who are known for good race pace or drivers who complete a lot of overtakes such as Zhou Guanyu ($6.6m) or Yuki Tsunoda ($8m) – both of which ranked instead the top ten of overtakes made last season.

Avoid mistake-makers

It’s important to avoid drivers who are likely to cause accidents, DNF or have unpredictable cars where possible, as this could result in a costly point deduction (-25), and instead focus on reliability and consistency. In 2023, Esteban Ocon and Logan Sargeant failed to finish seven races each across the season, resulting in 175 points lost.

Employ overtakers 

Including bold overtakers can pay off in a big way over the course of an F1 Fantasy season, with bonuses for overtaking and making up places (1 point per place in both cases) on offer. Oscar Piastri scored an additional 144 points from overtakes alone last season and team-mate Lando Norris added an additional 115 to give McLaren the highest team total too.

Although drivers may only complete 5-6 overtakes each race, the points scored from each can add up in the long run and could ultimately be the difference between victory and a podium place. In 2023, just five points separated F1 Fantasy’s global champion and second place.

Pitstop points

Don’t overlook pitstops. Red Bull could give you a good chance of bagging the ten bonus points for performing the fastest stop in each race: it had the quickest wheel-changers in nine of last year’s 22 grand prix. Only two other teams secured a fastest time in 2023: Ferrari at seven races and McLaren at six. A speedy team can also claim further points for the second and third-fastest stops.

 

Prizes

The winner of the 2024 F1 Fantasy Global League will receive two Paddock Club passes to a 2025 grand prix of their choosing.

Second place will receive two Champions Club passes to a 2025 grand prix of their choosing, while third place will receive a £500 F1 Authentics store voucher.

Mini-league competitions, running over a small number of race weekends will offer the chance to win more.

 

Leagues

As with last year, there is the global league and mini leagues to enter, as well as the option of joining or creating public or private leagues for the chance of glory against family, friends or colleagues.

For the first time, Motor Sport will be hosting its own league with regular leaderboard updates on our social channels.

 

Rules and regulations

Scoring – Qualifying

Points will be awarded and deducted based on a drivers/constructors’ performance during a grand prix weekend.

Drivers will be awarded for individual qualifying performance, with ten points given to pole position all the way down to 1 point for tenth. If drivers fail to set a time they will be deducted 5 points and if disqualified, they will be deducted 15 points.

Constructors will score the combined total of its two drivers as well as scoring points for one of the following outcomes:

Neither driver reaches Q2 -1 point
One driver reaches Q2 1 point
Both drivers reach Q2 3 points
One driver reaches Q3 5 points
Both drivers reach Q3 10 points

Scoring – Grands Prix

Overhead view of Red Bull pitstop

Points for pitstops in this year’s game

Mohd Rasfan/AFP via Getty Images

Positions gained points As well as scoring points for finishing position, points will also be awarded for positions gained (1 point per position) and lost (-1 point per position). There is no cap how many points a driver can score through this method.

Overtaking points Much like last year, drivers are awarded points for overtaking. A move is classed as “when one driver legally passes another on track, and the driver passed was not entering or in the pit lane or suffering a car failure or going unreasonably slow” and earns one point per overtake. So just hope that your drivers get caught in a multi-lap dice where positions are swapped multiple times.

Fastest lap / Driver of the day points Ten points will also be awarded for fastest lap honours and driver of the day.

Race result points The full race result point system follows the same points system found in Formula 1 — 25 points to the winner, 18 to second, 15 to third and so on.

Retirement points deductions 20 points will be deducted for DNFs and 25 points will be deducted for disqualifications.

Constructors / pitstop points Constructors will score the combined total of its two drivers in the race, with the exception of the driver of the day bonus, as well as scoring points for the following:

Fastest pitstop 10 points
Second-fastest pitstop 5 points
Third fastest pitstop 3 points

 

Chips

Players will have access to six ‘chips’, only one of which can be used to give you a boost before each race weekend. Each chip can only be used once during the season and you can only use one per race.

Autopilot This will automatically give your DRS Boost to the highest scoring driver in your team.
When to use it: save it for a sprint weekend for maximum bonus

Extra DRS Boost This will triple the score of a selected driver for a grand prix weekend.
When to use it: Another one for a sprint weekend, when there’s a driver with a clear advantage

No Negative If you’ve elected for a riskier strategy, this chip will stop you from scoring any negative points over the course of the weekend – meaning the only way is up! Unlike last year, this will be applied to individual scoring categories instead of the driver’s overall score for the weekend.
When to use it: Is it looking like a wet weekend in treacherous Singapore? Take out this insurance policy

Wildcard This will allow you to make an unlimited amount of changes to your team whilst staying under the cost cap.
When to use it: Save for after the Australian Grand Prix, where the past races and early upgrades will have painted a better picture of the running order

Limitless Similar to the wildcard, this will allow you to make unlimited changes to your team with no cost cap for just one grand prix – allowing you to pick the best teams and drivers
When to use it: When trying to recover points after a slow start or in the final stages of the season when top teams and drivers have separated themselves from the rest of the field.

Final Fix – This allows you to make a single change between the end of qualifying and the start of the grand prix.
When to use it: To transfer in a driver who has qualified unexpectedly high on a track where overtaking is tricky

 

Transfers and values

2022 F1 cars in parc ferme

Ahead of each race, you will have two free transfers to customise your driver or constructor line-up. Changing this regularly each week to keep up with driver form can give you a significant advantage over the rest of the league.

There is still no benefit in timing your transfers during the week: dynamic pricing used to allow players to trade their way to astronomical team values. However, driver and team values is now be updated after races to reflect their performances.

 

DRS Boost

Score double points! Activate a DRS boost on one driver in your line-up per race to receive double their points tally for the upcoming grand prix weekend.

 

Point Deductions

If you exceed the driver transfer allowance (2), you will be deducted ten points plus additional transfer. Similarly, if you create a team after the team-lock deadline, which closes before qualifying, you will be deducted ten points.

 

How to join the Motor Sport F1 Fantasy league

Compete alongside other Motor Sport readers and join our official F1 Fantasy league below!

After creating your team, find and join the Motor Sport link either by clicking this link here, or by entering the following code into the ‘Find a League section’: P26UURWJ208

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