Formula 1 touches down in Austin for one of the most dynamic weekends on the calendar. The Circuit of The Americas offers a mix of everything \u2013 high-speed sweeps, tight technical sections, and a dramatic uphill run into Turn 1 that always delivers fireworks. So, who\u2019s set to ride high in F1 Fantasy at the United States Grand Prix?<\/p>\n
COTA\u2019s flowing nature and wide layout create multiple overtaking opportunities, but tyre degradation and race management are often the deciding factors here. With a passionate crowd and plenty of on-track unpredictability, our F1 Fantasy Strategist returns to help you identify which drivers and teams can handle the heat in Texas.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s never too late to join the free-to-play game<\/a> and compete for the great prizes on offer<\/a> every race week! New players will need to select five drivers and two constructors within the starting cost cap of $100 million.<\/p>\n Keep your eyes peeled for exciting mini leagues opening later in the F1 Fantasy season too, providing you with even more opportunities to play and win.<\/p>\n Ahead of every Grand Prix weekend, our F1 Fantasy Strategist evaluates seven in-game assets \u2013 five drivers and two teams \u2013 that can help you succeed in F1 Fantasy, whether that\u2019s eking out every point or maximising your budget.<\/p>\n Austin\u2019s undulating surface and circuit-specific challenges reward consistency and adaptability, while the long back straight provides the perfect stage for DRS battles and last-gasp overtakes. Race strategy and tyre life management will be crucial as teams navigate a circuit that punishes mistakes but rewards aggression.<\/p>\n Catch up on the Singapore Grand Prix<\/a> highlights below and keep reading for more tips. Remember to lock in your teams before the Sprint starts on Saturday, October 18 at 1200 local time (1700 UTC).<\/p>\n Max Verstappen ($28.8m)<\/p>\n Max Verstappen<\/a> is a force to be reckoned with at Circuit of The Americas.<\/p>\n The flying Dutchman has won both Sprints hosted in Austin across 2023 and 2024. He has also finished on the podium in the last six Grands Prix in The Lone Star State.<\/p>\n Verstappen averages 29.9 fantasy points in his last seven race weekends, the most among all drivers, and also has three pole positions to his name \u2013 no other driver has more than one in that time.<\/p>\n The momentum for Red Bull\u2019s championship contender continues to build as he closes the gap to Oscar Piastri<\/a> ($26.9m) and Lando Norris<\/a> ($30.9m) in the Drivers\u2019 Championship \u2013 and there is no better place to do it than at a track he has an excellent record at.<\/p>\n George Russell ($23.0m)<\/p>\n It\u2019s hard to ignore the scintillating form that George Russell<\/a> is in at the moment.<\/p>\n The Mercedes racer posted his second Grand Prix victory of the season in Singapore, on his way to a seventh fantasy weekend in 2025 of 30+ points, and his future with the Silver Arrows was also confirmed on Wednesday<\/a>.<\/p>\n Russell has been a bang-for-your-buck asset since Silverstone \u2013 he averages 1.06 points per $1 million spent in this window, the best among all drivers currently priced above $15m.<\/p>\n The five-time race winner averages 28 fantasy points across the nine Sprint weekends in 2024 and 2025 to date, and is in a great position to surpass this mark in Austin.<\/p>\n Kimi Antonelli ($15.1m)<\/p>\n Kimi Antonelli<\/a> continues to generate buzz as a relatively affordable driver in a front-running car \u2013 as long as he can avoid DNFs.<\/p>\n The Italian\u2019s struggles throughout the European leg of the F1 calendar were well-documented \u2013 four retirements, only one Grand Prix finish of P8 or better, and the second-worst performing F1 Fantasy driver between Imola and Monza, averaging 0.6 fantasy points per race.<\/p>\n However, in all other races this season, the rookie averages 20.4 fantasy points \u2013 fourth-best among all drivers, behind his team mate Russell and the McLaren duo of Piastri and Norris.<\/p>\n Keep an eye out for Antonelli in Free Practice and Sprint Qualifying if Mercedes can carry their recent strong pace into the weekend.<\/p>\n Yuki Tsunoda ($9.6m)<\/p>\n