X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix DFS: DraftKings Daily Fantasy F1 Lineup Picks

charles leclerc F1 DFS lineup picks Draftkings daily fantasy Formula 1

Justin Carter's DraftKings and FanDuel DFS lineup picks for the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix. Read our daily fantasy F1 advice and sleepers analysis.

Formula 1 heads to Japan this weekend for the Japanese Grand Prix. Last weekend in Singapore, Max Verstappen shockingly didn't win, which meant he also didn't wrap up the 2022 Formula 1 title, though he'll have a good chance to do so on Sunday in Japan.

Most of you reading this will be in North America, so get ready for an incredibly late night of action. This race begins at 1:00 a.m. ET and is the last Formula 1 race this season that will be inconvenient for American fans. The final four races feature three races in the western hemisphere, but a finale at Abu Dhabi.

Below you will find our Formula 1 DraftKings DFS lineup picks for 10/9/22, with the slate locking at 1:00 a.m. ET. If you have any questions or want to talk about Formula 1, you can find me on Twitter at @juscarts.

Featured Promo: Get any DFS Premium Bundle for for 30% off using code WIN! Win more with expert advice from proven winners and exclusive DFS tools. Get instant access to RotoBaller's Lineup Optimizers, Research Stations, daily picks and VIP chat rooms across 10 sports! Go Premium, Win More!

 

How Does Formula 1 Fantasy Work?

If you're familiar with using DraftKings for NASCAR, this Formula 1 format is going to feel really, really different from what you're used to. It's a lot closer to the NFL single-game showdown slates than it is to anything on the NASCAR side.

So, here's how the scoring and format work. You'll pick five drivers and a constructor. One of those drivers will be your captain, who earns you 1.5-times the points but also costs 1.5-times as much as they usually cost. For the constructor, you're choosing one of the F1 teams.

So, here's how the scoring works. Your driver only gets points if they finish in the top 10. Here's a chart for how that breaks down.

Finishing Spot DraftKings Points
1 25
2 18
3 15
4 12
5 10
6 8
7 6
8 4
9 2
10 1

In addition, the driver with the fastest lap of the race gets three points. You get 0.1 points per lap led, five points for beating your teammate, one point for being classified at the finish (finished 90% of the race, essentially), and points for place differential. Finish three spots higher than your grid position and you get two points. Finish five better and you get three points. Finish 10 better to get five points. You also lose points for negative place differential, starting at three spots.

The constructor points work the same way, with some added points if both cars do well.

It's confusing, but for Formula 1 DFS to work, it probably had to be confusing.

Now that we've gone over that, let's talk drivers.

 

Captain: Charles Leclerc ($16,800)

Starts 2nd

Look: Max Verstappen with a Red Bull stack is probably the highest-scoring play here, but I want to have some better options with the rest of my lineup, so I'm fading Verstappen and hoping that he finishes anywhere but first place.

Leclerc starts second, so if anyone can get past Verstappen early on, it's him. Leclerc has three podiums in a row and has beaten teammate Carlos Sainz in all three of those races.

Past track record here isn't great for Leclerc, but that'll happen when F1 hasn't been here since 2019. He did qualify second for that race, though he faded during the race and finished seventh.

Still, this is the obvious best non-Verstappen play and the only non-Red Bull driver who I would bet on winning a race before this season ends.

(If you decide to play the Verstappen/Red Bull stack, then replace Lando Norris with his teammate Daniel Ricciardo below and hope that Danny Ric can finish ahead of Norris for the first time since June.)

 

Constructor: Ferrari ($11,300)

Look, if I'm fading Verstappen, then I'm going to go all out here and also fade Red Bull. In fact, I think fading Red Bull is a smarter move than fading Verstappen. I'll likely run some lineups that pair Verstappen with Ferrari.

Anyway, Ferrari's two drivers start second and third and are coming off of a double podium last week at Singapore. I mentioned above what Leclerc has done lately, but Sainz has been good himself. Over the last six races, Sainz has five finishes of fifth or best, including a pair of podiums. Can Ferrari go back-to-back with double podiums? We'll see. It's what I'm hoping for by playing them, even if it's a little unlikely based on how the season has gone and how Ferrari strategy has been.

 

Lando Norris ($8,000)

Starts 10th

Norris starts a little too close to McLaren teammate Daniel Ricciardo for me to feel like this play is a lock, but considering Norris has now finished ahead of Ricciardo in eight consecutive races, Norris starting one spot ahead of Ricciardo is probably enough of a buffer.

This car has had some good runs lately, with Norris finishing fourth at Singapore last week. He has double-digit DFS points in seven of the last eight races, and the only race in that span where he didn't hit that number was at Belgium, when he had nine fantasy points, mostly because he started way back in 17th.

 

Esteban Ocon ($5,600)

Starts 5th

Ocon starts two spots ahead of teammate Fernando Alonso. Even with that, Alonso is the safer play, but the salary savings of a Ferrari stack over a Red Bull stack still doesn't put you in a position to afford Alonso this week, unless you play him over Norris.

Ocon has really struggled in qualifying lately, starting outside the top 10 in the last four races. But earlier in the year when he was starting near the front, he was doing a decent job of maintaining position. Ocon has started eighth or better five times. He's either gained spots, kept his position, or lost just one position in four of those five races. He finished ahead of Alonso in all four of those races.

 

Valtteri Bottas ($5,000)

Starts 12th

The safest play in F1 if you're looking for points for beating a teammate is Alexander Albon from Williams, but Bottas is close. Or, rather, he was close. He earned those points in 11 of the first 12 races. And then he hit a wall, finishing behind Guanyu Zhou in four consecutive races.

But of those four races, Bottas failed to finish three of them—twice via mechanical failure and once via crash. Zhou has defeated Bottas on track just once this year: Monza, when Zhou finished 10th and Bottas 13th. Zhou qualified well this week—he starts 14th—but the safe money is on Bottas here, as long as the car holds up.

 

Yuki Tsunoda ($3,200)

Starts 13th

Tsunoda starts 13th, while his Alphatauri teammate Pierre Gasly—who has announced he's leaving the team after this season—starts back in 17th.

And, well...that's my argument for Tsunoda as a value play this week. He starts the race with a pretty good advantage over his teammate, making him an interesting option if you want to chase the "beat teammate" points. The only driver under $4,000 who I would consider for this role aside from him is one of the Haas drivers, but I've really soured on Haas lately.

Tsunoda hasn't gotten the teammate points since the British Grand Prix on July 3rd, so don't go thinking this is a lock or anything. But Tsunoda did get those points in four of the first five races of the season, and if Tsunoda will be back next year and Gasly won't be, maybe Alphatauri will put more attention on this car going forward?



The Keys to Weekly NASCAR Success

NASCAR is back, and it's time for you to win more with RotoBaller!
Our NASCAR Premium Package for DFS and betting features several heavy hitters and proven winners.

Jordan McAbee anchors the team with his exclusive NASCAR DFS and betting picks, DFS projections and algorithm-predicted finishing order! Jordan had a 60+ unit betting profit in 2024 NASCAR, and a 25% average annual profit since 2018. He won the FSWA Racing Writer Of The Year award in 2023, and has been nominated for DFS Writer Of The Year in 2024.

Five-time NASCAR Racing Writer of the Year finalist and fantasy industry legend Scott "The King" Engel is also in the crew, bringing you his weekly strategies and lineup picks. Set your winning DFS lineups with our award-winning team. He has been nominated once again in 2024 for this award.

POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Will Smith

Scratched With Hand Soreness on Wednesday
Ketel Marte

has Foot Contusion, Expected to Play Friday
Shohei Ohtani

Won't Pitch This Weekend
MacKenzie Gore

to Start on Thursday
Ketel Marte

Exits Early on Wednesday
Matthew Knies

Ready for Bigger Role With Maple Leafs
Jack Eichel

Unbothered by Lack of Extension
Sidney Crosby

Not Thinking About Leaving Pittsburgh
SJ

Michael Misa Signs Entry-Level Contract With Sharks
Rutger McGroarty

Nursing an Injury
Brock Purdy

"a Long Shot" to Play on Sunday
Aaron Rodgers

Dealing With Back Tightness
Dallas Goedert

Questionable for Week 2 at Chiefs
Anthony Rizzo

Retires
Cameron Champ

the Ultimate Wild Card at Procore
Cameron Young

Looks to Extend Momentum in Napa
Davis Thompson

Searching for a Spark at Procore
Sahith Theegala

Looking to Reignite Form at Procore
Mackenzie Hughes

Aims for Another Strong Showing at Procore
Luke Clanton

Brings Ball-Striking Upside to Napa
Seamus Power

Looking to Overcome Poor Course History at Procore
Joe Highsmith

Hoping to Find Form in Napa
Jadeveon Clowney

Visiting With the Cowboys on Wednesday
Masyn Winn

Will Require Offseason Knee Surgery
Kristaps Porzingis

Reportedly Still Not Completely Healthy
Kelly Oubre Jr.

Reportedly on the Trade Block
Andre Drummond

Future in Philadelphia in Doubt
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Helps Greece Reach Semis at EuroBasket
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Posts Historic Triple-Double
Joel Dahmen

Finishes Tied For 15 at Wyndham Championship
Bud Cauley

Finishes Tied for 33rd at BMW Championship
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied for Seventh at Tour Championship
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Tied for 25th at Tour Championship
Collin Morikawa

Finishes Tied for 19th at Tour Championship
Keith Mitchell

Misses Cut at Wyndham Championship
Ben Griffin

Finishes Tied for 10th at Tour Championship
Patrick Cantlay

Finishes Tied for Second at Tour Championship
Gary Woodland

Could Hang Around at Procore Championship
Ranger Suárez

Ranger Suarez Strikes Out 12, Earns 12th Win on Tuesday
Karl Vilips

Ready for Napa Valley This Weekend
Taylor Montgomery

Heating Up at the Right Time
Jackson Koivun

May Be a Little Rusty at Procore Championship
Doug Ghim

Looking to Rise Up at Napa Valley
Christian Watson

Agrees to One-Year Contract Extension
Josh Giddey

Re-Signs With Bulls for Four Years
Shakir Mukhamadullin

Joins Informal Skate
William Eklund

Skates With Sharks
Owen Power

Back at 100 Percent
Tyler Seguin

Cleared for Action
Mathew Barzal

Good to Go for Season Opener
Will Smith

Returns to Dodgers Lineup on Tuesday
Dustin Wolf

Signs Seven-Year Extension
Kyle Stowers

Dealing With Strained Side
Kyle Tucker

Placed on Injured List With Calf Strain
Jauan Jennings

Considered Day-to-Day, has a Chance to Play in Week 2
Jalen Carter

Receives One-Game Suspension, Will be Eligible for Week 2
Bo Bichette

Goes on Injured List With Knee Sprain
George Kittle

Placed on Injured Reserve
Tyreek Hill

Accused of Domestic Violence
Jauan Jennings

Avoids Serious Shoulder Injury
Garrett Crochet

Shuts Out the Athletics
Royce Lewis

Launches Two Homers Monday Night
NBA

Mason Jones Takes His Talents to Australia
NBA

Talen Horton-Tucker Joins Reigning EuroLeague Champions
New York Knicks

Malcolm Brogdon on Knicks' Radar
Andrew Wiggins

Attracting Interest From Lakers
Miami Heat

Heat Interested in Reunion With Precious Achiuwa
Tyler Glasnow

Fans 11 in Seven No-Hit Innings Monday
Slade Cecconi

Takes No-Hitter Into Eighth Inning Monday
Max Muncy

Batting Cleanup in Return to Dodgers
New York Knicks

Ben Simmons Reportedly Declined Knicks' Contract Offer
Younghoe Koo

Falcons Auditioning Kickers, Could Replace Younghoe Koo
Denver Broncos

Sean Payton Says Broncos Need to be Better With Run-Pass Balance
Tank Bigsby

Eagles Acquiring Tank Bigsby From Jaguars on Monday
George Kittle

Likely Out 3-5 Weeks, Could Land on Injured Reserve
Chase Burns

to be Activated on Friday
Brock Purdy

Dealing With Multiple Injuries, Could Miss Week 2
Tyler Glasnow

Cleared to Start on Monday
Logan O'Hoppe

Placed on Concussion Injured List
Christian Yelich

Returning on Monday
Elias Pettersson

Feeling "Good" Ahead of Season
NHL

Alex Formenton Rejoins Swiss Team
NHL

Grigori Denisenko Heads Back Home
CAR

Kevin Labanc Joins Hurricanes for Tryout
Ross Colton

Healthy for Start of Season
Brock Bowers

Considered Day-to-Day With Knee Injury
Jonathan Taylor

is "Good" After Taking a Hit to his Neck in Week 1
Caio Borralho

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Nassourdine Imavov

Extends Win Streak
Mauricio Ruffy

Gets Submitted
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Taps Out Mauricio Ruffy
Russell Wilson

Remains the Giants Starter
Paul Craig

Retires After UFC Paris Loss
Denny Hamlin

Earns his First Cup Victory at Gateway
Kyle Larson

Damage Ruins Kyle Larson's Chance At a Top Finish at Gateway
Christopher Bell

Scores his Third Top-10 Finish at Gateway
Joey Logano

Maintains his Perfect Top-Five Streak at Gateway
Ryan Blaney

Struggles and Recovers for a Top-Five Finish at Gateway
Modestas Bukauskas

Scores First-Round Knockout
Bolaji Oki

Suffers Second-Round TKO Loss
Xavier Worthy

Week-to-Week with Dislocated Shoulder
Mason Jones

Scores Comeback Win
Rhys McKee

Suffers Third-Round TKO Loss
Axel Sola

Successful In His UFC Debut
Robert Ruchała

Robert Ruchala Unsuccessful In His UFC Debut
William Gomis

Bounces Back In The Win Column
Derrick Henry

Scores Twice but has Costly Fumble on Sunday
Lamar Jackson

Shines With Three Total Touchdowns in Loss to Bills
Chase Elliott

Gets Lucky but Still Has Best Run at Gateway
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Wins Stage 2, but Was Let Down by Strategy
Tyler Reddick

Despite Bad Luck, Tyler Reddick Does What he Needed to Do
Chase Briscoe

Recovers from Incident with Daniel Suarez to Finish Second
William Byron

Late Caution Foils William Byron's Shot at Gateway Victory
Jayson Tatum

"Moving Around Way Better"
Ryan Blaney

Should Contend at Gateway
Denny Hamlin

Fastest in Qualifying, the Favorite to Win at Gateway
Christopher Bell

Looking for Redemption at Gateway
Joey Logano

Has Been Elite at Gateway
Austin Cindric

Should Be On Your Radar at Gateway
AJ Allmendinger

Could Be a Sleeper Again at Gateway
Tyler Reddick

Southern 500 Near-Miss Makes Tyler Reddick a Stronger Option for Gateway
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace a Likely Gateway Contender
Alex Bowman

a Long Shot to Advance in Playoffs
Austin Dillon

Richard Childress Racing Looks Slower at Gateway, Which Will Hurt Austin Dillon
Shane Van Gisbergen

Starts 18th in Gateway Debut
Jeremy Swayman

Ready to Get Back on Track
Connor McDavid

Aiming for More Goals
NJ

Luke Glendening Signs Tryout Deal With Devils
Dylan Harper

Hoping to be Ready for the Opener Versus Dallas
EDM

Derek Ryan Retires From Hockey
Connor Zary

Agrees to Three-Year Deal With Flames
Caio Borralho

Set For A Title Eliminator Bout
Nassourdine Imavov

Looks To Earn A Title Shot
Mauricio Ruffy

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Set For UFC Paris Co-Main Event
Modestas Bukauskas

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Paul Craig

In Dire Need Of Victory
Mason Jones

Set for Main-Card Bout
Bolaji Oki

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Rhys McKee

Set To Open Up UFC Paris Main Card

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP