Why are Fantasy Formula 1 Games So Complicated?

By Mark Brenneman on March 10, 2024

There is a reason that fantasy sports are popular: they are fun. And Formula 1 is a sport that fits well with fantasy sports. With only 20 drivers, 10 teams, and 24 races, it is easy to follow and get to know all the players. Unlike other sports, there are not hundreds of players to keep up with.

But the simple structure of the sport of Formula 1 is not translated into simple fantasy games. The most popular games have very steep learning curves and scare many casual fans away.

Official Fantasy Formula 1 Game

The biggest game in town is the Official Formula 1 Fantasy Game, which is tied to Formula 1 itself. Most Formula 1 fans who play fantasy F1 play the official game. But the game is not fun. There are so many rules that make this fantasy game complicated and hard to understand for a casual fan. You have a budget to manage, boosts to select, and a point system that is hard to follow. Through my interviews with Formula 1 fans, the Official Fantasy Formula 1 Game is “tedious”.

Gridrival

Another popular app is Gridrival. Many F1 influencers (including @f1rthegirls) use Gridrival to host their audience’s league. While Gridrival has a better interface and is easier to use that the official fantasy game, it suffers from the same game rule issues. Players are forced to manage budgets, pick “talent drivers” every week, and understand complicated point structures.

As an example, last week, before the 2024 Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia, I received a notification from Gridrival telling me my “lineup” was not complete. I needed to select a “Talent Driver”. What is that? It is a driver you select to score double points during that weekend.

Pitlane Picks

Pitlane Picks is a newer entrant into fantasy formula 1 and has a different take. No budgets, no new point structure. It is a pick’em style game where you pick 1 driver or team every race. You score the points that the drivers do (from the official F1 rules).

Benefits of simplicity

There are many benefits to making fantasy games simple.

1. The game is more accessible to everyone. Even if you are a new fan to Formula 1, once you understand how Formula 1 works, you can play Pitlane Picks.
2. The game is easy to follow. You can easily know how you are doing. Since you only pick 1 driver or team each race, it is very clear how you are doing each race weekend. It is fun to root for your driver and again your opponents.
3. Easy to forecast. Since the points are the same as Formula 1 has, you can easily look at the league leaderboard and see where your driver needs to finish to push you up the leaderboard. Being able to say “If Lando Norris gets in the top 3 this weekend I will be in 1st place” makes the stakes higher and watching the live race more engaging.

Conclusion

With the growth in popularity of Formula 1 there are many new fans watching. Many of them want to play fantasy games to have more fun with friends during the season. It is good to see that there are many options for fantasy F1, but the casual fans need games that are simple while still fun, engaging, and strategic.