F1 Fantasy: Mexican Grand Prix top tips, picks and predictions

The fans in attendance will likely be supporting one driver only this weekend but who are you going to back?

From the fight at the front to midfield options and surprise picks at the lower end of the price range, do you go big with a double up on Red Bull assets or play it safe and keep your options open?

Sentimentally, Sergio Perez is the pick this weekend for victory but would the Mexican be allowed to take the win from his team-mate with the title fight so close at the moment?

Is McLaren now at a permanent disadvantage to Ferrari following Maranello’s newest power unit upgrade and the high-altitude handicap of the Mercedes engine for this weekend?

There’s plenty of ways to go about picking your F1 Fantasy team for the Mexican Grand Prix, here are a few ideas for you to keep in mind when you do.

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Price changes

Risers

There have been several price rises since the US Grand Prix. Valtteri Bottas is now 0.2m more expensive than last time out despite his anonymous drive. Carlos Sainz was a little bit more involved in Texas and the Spaniard is 0.1m up in price as a result. Esteban Ocon didn’t make the chequered flag but the Alpine driver has risen by 0.1m.

Red Bull will be the most popular team going this weekend and it has risen up by 0.1m in F1 Fantasy demand.

Fallers

Lance Stroll, Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso and Max Verstappen have each fallen by 0.1m in price since the last race. Antonio Giovinazzi hasn’t dipped just yet but is on the edge of a fall in value himself.

On the team’s front, McLaren is the only asset to dip in value, dropping by 0.1m.

Must-haves

If you’re going without a single Red Bull asset this weekend then you’re likely to be one of the very few to do so. Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez or the Red Bull team itself would be a sensible inclusion into your line-up this weekend with the Honda engine expected to pull clear of the pack.

Any engine penalty for Lewis Hamilton this weekend would nestle him back into the pack but that means he can make up some decent progress on Sunday. Victory might be out of the question but he’s sure to get as close as he can to limit the damage to Verstappen should his power unit need changing again.

Ferrari or AlphaTauri look set to be a cheaper constructor option with promise for the Mexican GP weekend. Ferrari’s upgrades to the power unit have put it ahead of McLaren according to the Woking team while Honda has little concern that altitude will hamper its output.

Ones to avoid

There are whispers of an engine penalty for Esteban Ocon this weekend following the Frenchman’s DNF in Austin. While he is likely to make up a few places from the back, breaking into the top 10 might be a bridge too far for the Alpine driver, with Honda expected to deliver plenty of performance that will work in favour of AlphaTauri, the French team’s closest rivals.

McLaren’s US performance versus Ferrari was not what the team had hoped and with the Mexican GP likely exposing the Achilles heel of the Mercedes engine, there might be another weekend of wincing at Woking. The teams are closely matched both performance and F1 Fantasy price-wise; swapping sides to Maranello could help this weekend.

Streaks

There are two qualifying streaks to keep an eye on this weekend. Lando Norris and Sergio Perez are just one qualifying top five away from a bonus five points. Likewise, Red Bull, AlphaTauri, and Mercedes are in with a shot of a qualifying streak payout if both drivers make the top 10 on Saturday.

Ferrari is the only asset this weekend in with a chance of a race streak bonus 10 point-payout. Sainz and Leclerc need to finish in the top 10 once more for the bonus 10 to come in.

Top % picks

Lando Norris is still the driver most in demand by F1 Fantasy players but Max Verstappen is on the brink of joining him in the selected-by 60%+ club. George Russell and Pierre Gasly are the next-most selected drivers on the grid. 45% and 44% of players have picked them respectively.

Red Bull is the only team to hit the 30%+ mark for teams with McLaren the next most-selected constructor. Despite its improved package in recent rounds, Ferrari is selected by just 11% while championship-leading Mercedes is in just 8% of fantasy teams.

Mexican Grand Prix picks

Drivers:

Max Verstappen (25.6m)

Charles Leclerc (17.6m)

Carlos Sainz (14.8m)

Pierre Gasly (12.0m)

Lando Norris (14.2m)

Team:

AlphaTauri (12.6m)