The Week Ahead

The F1 Fantasy Spanish GP 2026 arrives after a wild Monza weekend, where Kimi Antonelli charged from P19 to victory and extended his championship lead over George Russell to 66 points. Mercedes remains firmly in control, but Madrid’s brand-new Madring circuit brings a major unknown into the fantasy equation. With no previous race data to lean on, the key decision is whether to trust the established Mercedes favourites or gamble on cheaper assets adapting quickly. This is a standard weekend, not a Sprint, giving us three practice sessions before lock.

Quick Reference

Sprint Weekend?	NO — standard weekend
🔒 Fantasy Lock	7:00 AM PT, September 12 8:00 AM MT, September 12 10:00 AM ET, September 12
2× Boost	KIMI ANTONELLI—fantasy points leader
Value Pick	NICO HULKENBERG—improved car reliability
Constructor	MERCEDES—fantasy points leader
One to Avoid	CADILLAC—slowest team right now
Chips to play this week	The No Negative or Autopilot chips may be useful to reduce some of the risks associated with the completely unknown circuit

The Circuit

The Madring makes its debut with a 5.4 km, 22-corner lap mixing long straights, heavy braking zones and fast, technical sections, headlined by the heavily banked La Monumental. Several planned overtaking zones, particularly Turns 1, 5, and 13, suggest positions-gained points could be more accessible than at traditional street circuits. With no previous F1 races here, however, there is no historical DNF or Safety Car rate and no established pit stop strategy, making practice data especially important for judging tyre degradation and likely stint lengths. The new surface adds another strategic unknown, while temperatures approaching 32°C and track temperatures potentially exceeding 50°C could increase tyre management demands; rain currently looks unlikely. For fantasy, the combination of unfamiliarity, overtaking opportunities and possible incidents means Madring may offer more midfield upside than a typical frontrunner-dominated circuit, making qualifying position and long-run pace particularly important when hunting value picks.

Building Your Team This Week

Locks, value picks, and drivers to avoid this weekend. Prices and ownership current as of this week. Full methodology in our PPM guide.

Tier	Driver / Constructor	Price (movement)	Why This Week
🟢 Lock	KIMI ANTONELLI	$26.3M (▲ $0.3M)	Recent form, expected car suitability
🟢 Lock	MERCEDES	$33.2M (▲ $0.3M)	Expected to have the best-suited car
⭐ Value	NICO HULKENBERG	$4.2M (▲ $0.6M)	Improved car reliability and budget building potential
⭐ Value	AUDI	$8.0M (▲ $0.6M)	Car reliability seems to have caught up to performance
🔴 Avoid	VALTTERI BOTTAS	$3.0M ($0.0M)	Worst performing car right now
🔴 Avoid	CADILLAC	$3.0M ($0.0M)	Worst performing car right now

Fantasy Implications from F1 News

• Mercedes: Madring’s balanced characteristics are expected to bring McLaren and Ferrari closer than they were at Monza.
• Isack Hadjar: He is still sidelined for the Spanish GP, with both Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda keeping their replacement roles.
• Tyres: Pirelli has selected the middle compounds of their range, but the brand new asphalt means degradation is still an unknown. Long-run practice data will be especially useful before fantasy lock.

This Week’s Pick & Last Week’s Result

Our Lineup — Spanish GP 2026

Slot	Asset	Price	Why
Driver 1 (2× Boost)	KIMI ANTONELLI	$26.3M	Fantasy points leader, strong recent form
Driver 2	LIAM LAWSON	$14.9M	Best of the rest lately while replacing Hadjar
Driver 3	PIERRE GASLY	$12.2M	Next best of the rest lately
Driver 4	NICO HULKENBERG	$4.2M	Improved car reliability and likely price increase
Driver 5	SERGIO PEREZ	$3.0M	Affordable, recent form
Constructor 1	MERCEDES	$33.2M	Fantasy points leader, expected circuit suitability
Constructor 2	FERRARI	$27.2M	Competing with McLaren but much cheaper
Total		$121.0M

Strategy: Still relying on three Tier A fantasy assets, with the rest of the lineup built around potential budget increases based on their strong recent form.

Last Race: Italian GP Result

With Leclerc’s crash, Ferrari as a constructor didn’t perform as well as the other Tier A constructors. Bringing Antonelli in after his grid penalty paid off handsomely with his charge through the field on Sunday.

Season Progress

F1 Fantasy Spanish GP 2026 — FAQ

Who should I Boost in F1 Fantasy for the Spanish GP?

You should Boost Kimi Antonelli this weekend. With no previous data on the Madring, the championship leader is the safest bet right now with seven wins in 13 races across a wide range of circuit types.

Is the Madring good for overtaking in F1 Fantasy?

The Madring looks promising for overtaking, with two long straights and several heavy-braking zones that should give drivers opportunities to attack into corners. With no previous F1 race data at the circuit, there is still plenty of uncertainty, but the layout suggests midfield value picks could offer useful positions-gained upside.

Who are the best value picks for F1 Fantasy at the Spanish GP?

Nico Hulkenberg and Audi look set to deliver some value if their car reliability continues. Sergio Perez may be good for budget building with his recent performance and low price—he only needs to score at least -10 fantasy points to rise the full $0.6M.

What are you running this week? Drop your lineup in the comments — and check back after FP2 for any last-minute changes.

New to F1 Fantasy? Complete Beginner’s Guide — Last Week’s Results: Italian GP Review — Track Practice Data: Spanish GP Lock Guide (expected on Friday)