F1 FANTASY: Strategist Preview – Your guide to the Azerbaijan, Bahrain and Singapore triple header

Formula 1 is heading into arguably its most demanding stretch of the season to date. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix opens the run at an unforgiving street circuit, the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia then sees the first Formula 1 race in Sepang since 2017, and the triple header closes under the Marina Bay lights with Singapore's inaugural Sprint weekend.

Very little about this stretch is routine. Baku runs its Grand Prix on a Saturday and its Qualifying session on a Friday, Sepang arrives with no modern form guide for anyone to lean on, and Singapore adds a Sprint to one of the most physically demanding races on the calendar.

With three deadlines in quick succession, planning across all three weekends will separate the strongest F1 Fantasy line-ups from the rest.

It is never too late to join the free-to-play game and compete for great prizes on offer every race week. New players simply need to select five drivers and two constructors within the starting cost cap of $100 million.

If you need a reminder of all the action from last time out in Madrid to help you choose, watch the highlights below. Remember to lock in your teams before Qualifying begins in Baku on Friday at 1600 local time (1200 UTC), before Qualifying in Sepang at 1600 local time (0800 UTC), and before the Sprint gets underway in Singapore at 1700 local time (0900 UTC).

Global League update

Eleven points separate the top two on the global leaderboard after the Spanish Grand Prix. P1 held on despite taking a hit from two retirements, Lewis Hamilton through the Ferrari constructor and Sergio Perez in the driver slots.

P2 closed the gap by activating No Negative and erasing the Hamilton DNF penalty altogether, a reminder of how much a well-timed chip can swing the standings at the very top.

Beyond that, the top three look remarkably alike. Kimi Antonelli was the 2x Boost pick for all of them, and Mercedes delivered 87 points to each. With the premium core settled, the budget picks and chip timing will decide who leads after a triple header featuring three deadlines in three weeks and a Sprint to finish.

F1 Fantasy Strategist watchlist

Our F1 Fantasy Strategist evaluates seven in-game assets below and reviews potential chip strategies to help you challenge for the top step in F1 Fantasy’s global leaderboard.

Max Verstappen ($27.3m)

Max Verstappen has finished on the podium in three of the last four Azerbaijan Grands Prix, winning in both 2022 and 2025, and last season's victory came from pole with a Grand Chelem. Few drivers on the grid can match that record on these streets.

Recent form also backs it up. Verstappen has been on the rostrum in four of the last five races, and he averages 25.4 fantasy points in that time. For managers weighing up a 2x Boost across the triple header, Baku presents a very high ceiling for the Dutchman.

Kimi Antonelli ($26.6m)

Kimi Antonelli has won eight of the 14 Grands Prix run this season and has finished on the podium in the last five races in a row, a run that has taken his championship lead over team mate George Russell to 81 points.

Antonelli averages 42.4 fantasy points per race weekend in 2026, and posted the highest single-weekend score by any driver in F1 Fantasy with a 93-point outing in Monza. He is a set-and-forget asset for the next three rounds.

Arvid Lindblad ($8.2m)

Arvid Lindblad's record of getting the car home speaks for itself. The Racing Bulls rookie has been classified in every Grand Prix bar one this season, a retirement in Canada, which counts for a lot in a triple header where transfers are tight.

He averages 4.3 overtakes per race this season and 4.7 since the summer break. Lindblad needs seven fantasy points to rise in value in Azerbaijan, an attainable mark given the overtaking opportunities on the run to Turn 1.

Ollie Bearman ($5.8m)

Ollie Bearman has just one retirement in his last eight Grands Prix, a valuable record heading into three demanding circuits in as many weeks. The Haas driver has also continued his strong overtaking form, averaging 5.4 overtakes per race this season.

Bearman needs nine fantasy points to rise in value after Azerbaijan, which is within range given the volume of overtaking anticipated around the Baku City Circuit.

Valtteri Bottas ($3.0m)

Valtteri Bottas has struggled in F1 Fantasy-terms this season, averaging -5.2 fantasy points per weekend – mostly due to Cadillac’s reliability issues – but he remains the best option priced under $4.5m for a price rise, with similarly priced Lance Stroll and Sergio Perez both retiring in Madrid.

Sitting on the $3.0m price floor, Bottas cannot lose value and needs six fantasy points for a maximum $0.6m rise in Baku, a circuit he won at in 2019.

Other drivers to monitor: Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc

Mercedes ($33.5m)

Mercedes average 84.4 fantasy points per race weekend in 2026, over 20 clear of the next-best constructor, and recorded a season-high 128 points in Monza before backing it up with 87 in Madrid.

While Antonelli has shouldered the point-scoring load lately with back-to-back victories, George Russell remains a strong second source of points. The Briton sits second in the championship and has notched podiums in three of his last four Azerbaijan Grand Prix appearances, along with a victory at Marina Bay last season. With a triple header ahead where transfers are tight, this is the one asset you do not have to think about.

McLaren ($31.9m)

McLaren average 67.0 fantasy points since the summer break, up from their season average of 53. Two wins in the last four outings from Lando Norris, as well as pole position in Madrid, demonstrate an upward trajectory for the team.

The Woking-based outfit’s recent record at both upcoming street circuits is promising. McLaren won in Baku in 2024 with Oscar Piastri, and in Singapore the same year with Norris, and put both cars inside the top four at Marina Bay last season.

Other constructors to monitor: Ferrari, Red Bull

Triple header chip strategy – Autopilot

Baku is a standard weekend with no Sprint, and on current form and points, Antonelli is the obvious 2x Boost pick. However, this circuit has a habit of punishing drivers no matter where they are in the championship standings. Last year's Qualifying session produced a record six red flags, and then-championship leader Oscar Piastri crashed in Qualifying before going out of the race on the opening lap.

The Safety Car has also appeared in more than half of the Formula 1 races held in Baku, and the concrete walls leave little margin for error. The Autopilot chip automatically moves your 2x Boost to the highest-scoring driver in your team at the end of the weekend, acting as an insurance policy if your nominated driver is caught out.

Sepang and Singapore both carry a risk of rain, so managers could also hold the chip for either of those rounds to insure against the possibility of treacherous conditions.

Featured leagues and upcoming mini-leagues

The F1 Fantasy Legends League is open until the end of the season and gives you a fresh start for the remaining races in 2026, with all players beginning from zero. Former Formula 1 World Champions have created their own teams, so take on the legends, climb the leaderboard, and prove you’ve got what it takes.

Keep your eyes peeled for exciting mini-leagues opening later in the F1 Fantasy season, providing you with even more opportunities to play and win.

As always, be sure to keep a close eye on the earlier sessions to help guide your decisions for drivers and teams in the lead-up to the team lock deadline.