Formula 1 DFS Picks and Best Bets: Monaco Grand Prix

Formula 1 DFS Picks and Best Bets: Monaco Grand Prix

Grand Prix De Monaco

Location: Monte Carlo, Monaco
Course: Circuit de Monaco
Course Length: 3.34km
Laps: 78

Race Preview

The 2025 season has taken an interesting turn due to some mistakes from the pair of McLaren drivers and the brilliance of Max Verstappen. Verstappen caught Oscar Piastri by surprise on the opening corner at Imola and never looked back, especially with the assistance of well-timed virtual safety cars. That sets up an interesting three-driver race for the Driver Championship – Lando Norris being the third – through the middle portions of the calendar. With flexi-wing regulations set to change after Monaco, potentially hurting McLaren, the F1 season is heating up right as it heads to its most iconic track.

Key Stats at Circuit De Monaco

  • Races: 73
  • Winners from Pole: 32
  • Winners from Top 5: 69
  • Winners from Top 10: 72

Previous 10 Monaco Grand Prix Winners

2024- Charles Leclerc
2023- Max Verstappen
2022- Sergio Perez
2021 - Max Verstappen
2019 - Lewis Hamilton
2018 - Daniel Ricciardo
2017 - Sebastian Vettel
2016 - Lewis Hamilton
2015 - Nico Rosberg
2014 - Nico Rosberg

Leclerc reversed his fortune at Monaco last season and Ferrari will hope that this weekend will be a catalyst to turn around their season as they've been easily the most disappointing of the "big four" teams. Leclerc has shown speed once again, leading the way in each of the two free practice sessions.

The stats from the circuit are slightly misleading. Across the last 20 editions of the Monaco Grand Prix, with 14 of the winners starting on pole and no winner coming from lower than third on the grid. That has essentially made Saturday's qualifying session the most compelling part of the weekend. F1 has changed to change that for the 2025 edition of the race, requiring drivers to use all three slick tire compounds, turning this into a mandatory two-stop race. There still isn't going to be much, if any, passing on the road, but the strategy should be at least somewhat more compelling than what we've seen in recent years.

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Value Report

DraftKings Value Picks for the Monaco Grand Prix

Based on a $50K Salary Cap

DraftKings Tier 1 Values

Oscar Piastri - $13,000
Lando Norris- $12,400
Max Verstappen- $12,000

DraftKings Tier 2 Values

Charles Leclerc - $10,2000
George Russell - $9,800

DraftKings Tier 3 Values

Kimi Antonelli -$7,800
Alex Albon - $6,400
Carlos Sainz Jr. - $6,000
Yuki Tsunoda -$5,400
Pierre Gasly -$5,000
Isack Hadjar - $4,800

DraftKings Tier 4 Values

Fernando Alonso - $4,600
Nico Hulkenberg- $4,200
Esteban Ocon - $3,800

DraftKings Constructor Values

McLaren - $15,000
Ferrari - $10,000
Red Bull Racing - $9,900
Mercedes - $9,800
Williams - $4,500

Formula 1 DFS Picks for the Monaco Grand Prix

Captain – Max Verstappen - $18,000
Lando Norris - $12,400
Carlos Sainz Jr. - $6,000
Pierre Gasly - $5,000
Esteban Ocon - $3,800
Constructor- Williams- $4,500

The rules shift could cause the field to shift more than it has in recent seasons come race day, but building lineups based on the projected outcome of qualifying. Over one lap, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri have been the most trustworthy. Piastri is rightfully the most expensive driver and is a good option, but Verstappen is in excellent form and has shown the expected determination to overcome the shortcomings of his Red Bull. It's possible to pair Verstappen and Piastri together but Norris allows for a well-rounded roster build.

The midfield has been very difficult to predict this season, leading to the laundry list of drivers in Tier 3. Carlos Sainz is my primary target. He has out-qualified Williams teammate Alex Albon 4-3 this season, and all of his head-to-head wins have come in the last four grand prix. Sainz has run into some bad luck during race days, but there's less of a chance of that at Monaco.

Gasly and Ocon are both good choices due to their position relative to their teammate, giving them a strong chance of earning at least five DK points. Gasly has beaten his teammates during qualifying in six of seven races this season and is in a strong position to keep that going in Monaco. Ocon has gotten the better of Oliver Bearman during qualification this season, and news broke Friday afternoon that Bearman will receive a 10-place grid penalty for overtaking under a red flag during FP1.  Ocon will have grid position that he isn't likely to relinquish at Monaco.

The Williams duo has emerged as one of the best driver pairings. Each of Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes have significant shortcomings with one of their drivers. From a value perspective, McLaren and Williams are the two easy choices.

Formula 1 Best Bets for the Monaco Grand Prix

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of 6:00 PM ET Friday

Race Winner – Oscar Piastri (+285), Max Verstappen (+450)

Podium Finish – George Russell (+400)

Winning Margin – Between 6 and 12 seconds (+300)

Getting a read on which driver to wager on depends how much weight to put on the results of FP1 and FP2. Charles Leclerc is the favorite across most sportsbooks based on his performance during the first two sessions of the weekend. Perhaps he can carry some of his Monaco magic over from 2024 in his home race, but Ferrari's track record hasn't been good this season. His status as favorite appears to be an overreaction.

Russell has finished on the podium in four of seven grand prix. Monaco is a unique track, so that record isn't all that useful, but he does offer value with both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton both with shorter odds.

Due to the difficulty of passing, it would be logical to believe that the field remains tightly packed together, particularly at the front. However, six of the last 10 races have been decided by more than six seconds, with five having winning margins of between seven and nine seconds.

Mapping out your wagers for the F1 race? Check out the latest Sportsbook Promo Codes to get special offers and make the most of your bets.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Dan Marcus plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: marcusd91 DraftKings: dmarcus87.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dan Marcus
Dan started covering fantasy sports in 2015, joining Rotowire in 2018. In addition to Rotowire, Dan has written for Baseball HQ and Rotoballer.
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