It’s another late-night Fantasy F1 slate on DraftKings. DFS F1 Round 4 returns after a week off. The 2024 Formula 1 season resumes its eastern swing with the MSC Cruises Japanese Grand Prix. The Formula 1 fantasy player with the best lineup for the Japanese GP will be rewarded with a $20K grand prize.
The DraftKings MSC Cruises Japanese Grand Prix slate locks at 1 a.m. ET on Sunday.
Set your DraftKings Fantasy F1 lineups here: F1 $80K Grand Prix [$20K to 1st]
1. Max Verstappen ($16,000) — The good news is that Verstappen liked his car in Australia. He did not like the brake failure early in the Grand Prix. It’s on to Japan, and the only thing holding him back is the rare mechanical failure.
2. Carlos Sainz ($9,800) — Many did not believe Sainz would be able to race in Melbourne due to his appendectomy. No one believed he could win the Australian Grand Prix. The 2025 free agent is the only driver to win two races in the last two Formula 1 seasons.
3. Charles Leclerc ($10,200) — Ferrari won’t win the 2024 F1 Championship, but the Scuderia can pick up some wins. Leclerc is working his way there. He’s improved his finishing position each round with finishes of fourth, third and second. The next step is the top of the podium.
4. Lando Norris ($9,200) — The Australian GP was McLaren’s first podium of the 2024 F1 season. Verstappen’s early retirement helped, but Norris finished better than the other Red Bull. This was the second time in three rounds that a McLaren finished in the optimal F1 DFS lineup at DraftKings.
5. Oscar Piastri ($8,000) — The Australian missed out on the Australian GP podium by one position. It was Piastri’s second consecutive fourth-place finish. The 2021 F2 Champ earned a top-5 DFS score in both races.
For F1 insight and quick DFS help, follow Pearce Dietrich (@race4theprize) on Twitter.
6. George Russell ($7,400) — Mercedes had a rough round in Australia, but Russell had speed. He was on his way to a top-5 finish before his wreck. In Round 1, Russell recorded 16 DKFP in Bahrain. He scored 14 DKFP in Round 2 at the Jeddah Corniche Street Circuit.
7. Niko Hulkenberg ($4,800) — Haas may not matter in Formula 1. At DraftKings, Haas is a key part of every DFS F1 contest. A Haas driver has been in the winning lineup each round. Their drivers were the most common winning value picks in 2023. Hulkenberg has scored over 10 DKFP in two straight races.
8. Esteban Ocon ($4,000) — Alpine is the new Haas in DFS F1. As the salaries increase for Haas, their fantasy Formula 1 value on DraftKings decreases. Alpine is now at the bottom of the barrel. The better Alpine driver in Suzuka will likely finish in the optimal DFS F1 lineup. Ocon has a top-10 finish in four straight Japanese GPs.
9. Fernando Alonso ($6,800) — It’s Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren. Aston Martin and Mercedes are battling for fourth. Alonso hasn’t looked great this season and his salary reflects those results. This is a very affordable price for a top-10 driver who regularly outperforms his teammate.
10. Lewis Hamilton ($8,200) — Can a fantasy F1 article not include Hamilton? A strong case can be made that Hamilton’s DFS F1 salary on DraftKings is too generous to the legend. All of the fears about the lame-duck driver have come true. However, if any driver or team can turn it around, it’s Hamilton and Mercedes. He’s won the Japanese Grand Prix four times and has a top-5 finish in 12 of his 13 races at Suzuka.
Set your DraftKings Fantasy F1 lineups here: F1 $80K Grand Prix [$20K to 1st]
Put your knowledge to the test. Sign up for DraftKings and experience the game inside the game.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is greenflagradio2) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
