Race manual · 01
How to Play
Pick the drivers or riders you think will finish P1, P2, and P3 in Formula 1, NASCAR Cup, IndyCar, or MotoGP. Earn points every race and compete on season and group leaderboards.
Pick Your Podium
Choose a different driver or rider for each podium position. Picks open 5 days before the race and can be updated until the scheduled start time.
Score 5, 3, or 0 Points
Exact position
Your selection finishes in the exact position you picked.
Right pick, wrong position
Your selection finishes in the top 3, but in a different position.
Outside the top 3
Your selection does not finish in the top 3.
A perfect podium is worth 15 points (5 + 5 + 5).
Scoring Example
The actual podium is Verstappen, Leclerc, Norris. You picked the same three drivers, but two are in the wrong positions:
| Pos | Your Pick | Actual | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | Max Verstappen | Max Verstappen | +5 |
| P2 | Lando Norris | Charles Leclerc | +3 |
| P3 | Charles Leclerc | Lando Norris | +3 |
| Total | 11 | ||
Build a Pick Streak
A streak measures how many consecutive standard races you submitted a manual pick for in the same series. Your picks do not have to be correct—showing up and submitting is what keeps the streak alive.
Every 5 races earns a bonus
Earn 5 bonus points when your streak reaches 5, 10, 15, and every additional 5-race milestone.
Missing a race resets it
If a race finishes without a manual pick from you, your current streak returns to zero.
Default picks do not extend it
An automatic default pick can still score points, but only a pick you submit yourself counts toward a streak.
A Streak Shield protects one miss
If you have a shield, it is automatically consumed when you miss a manual pick, preserving your streak for that race.
Sprint Weekend Challenges
On selected F1 Sprint weekends, predict the Sprint winner before the Sprint starts. Each weekend features one challenge. Get the winner right to earn or unlock its reward.
Podium Pass
Upgrade misplaced podium picks
Any Sunday pick that finishes in the top 3 but in the wrong position earns 5 points instead of 3.
Streak Shield
Protect your pick streak
Earn one shield that is automatically used the next time you miss a manual race pick, keeping your streak alive.
Sprint Wager
Risk points on your prediction
Wager up to 20 points, limited by your current balance. A correct Sprint winner adds the wager; an incorrect pick subtracts it. Your total cannot fall below zero.
Double-Down
Double one exact Sunday pick
Choose one of your Sunday podium positions. If that driver finishes in the exact position, it scores 10 points instead of 5.
Wildcard
Add one extra top-3 chance
Choose a fourth driver who is not in your Sunday podium. If the Wildcard finishes anywhere in the top 3, earn 3 bonus points.
Sprint challenges do not replace your normal Sunday podium picks. The active challenge and its deadline appear on the Formula 1 picks page for that weekend.
Climb the Leaderboards
Every race adds to your series total. Compare your season score with the full Racing Picks community, or create and join groups to compete with friends.
Fantasy
Build a team of five different drivers or riders with a $100m starting budget. Compete against every Fantasy team in your series. Fantasy points are separate from podium picks and prediction Leagues.
| Result | Points |
|---|---|
| Finish P1–P10 | 30, 25, 22, 20, 18, 16, 14, 12, 10, 8 |
| Finish P11–P15 / other classified finishers | 5 / 2 |
| Net positions gained / lost from actual grid | +1 / −1 each, capped at ±10 |
| Pole / fastest valid race lap | 3 each |
| Share of main-race laps led | 10 × share; 10% = 1 point |
| F1 / MotoGP Sprint | Half the finishing points above |
| NASCAR intermediate stages | Top five: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 each stage |
Retirements use the official classification. Unclassified drivers and non-starters receive no finish or position-change points. Disqualification scores zero for that session; a separate valid qualifying or Sprint result still counts. Official F1 pit-lane starters receive no net-position points. All tied fastest-lap winners receive the bonus. Scores round to one decimal place.
Teams lock before the first scored session, including qualifying. Your roster carries forward automatically. Each round allows two free replacements; each additional replacement costs five team points. Changes are measured against your last locked roster, so trying a selection and reverting it does not use a transfer. Your first roster has no transfer penalty.
Prices update after approved main-race results and stay fixed between rounds. The model weights recent main-race form 50%, longer-term performance 25%, qualifying pace 15%, and finishing reliability 10%. Recent form uses up to five starts; the baseline uses up to 12. Where verified history or qualifying data is unavailable, the model uses a neutral estimate. Prices move 25% toward the target, capped at $1m per round, within $8m–$35m. Drivers who did not start keep their price.
Your buying power is cash plus the current market value of your roster. Selling credits the current price, so gains increase your budget and losses reduce it. Price increases never invalidate an existing team. New players start with $100m and score from their first locked roster; earlier rounds earn no retroactive points.
Missing results stay pending until verified. Points may be corrected after an official result amendment; an already published price update is not applied a second time. The transfer market opens after the previous round is scored or voided.
Play with Extra Predictions in Leagues
Create a public or private league for one series and season. Choose extra predictions and their points: P4, P5, fastest lap, most positions gained, most laps led, or pole. F1 and MotoGP can add a Sprint winner, and NASCAR can add Stage 1 and Stage 2 winners.
Your top three remain shared with the main site. League standings combine your earned race points with league extras. Pole and Sprint selections lock before their own sessions; the remaining selections lock at the main race. Rules freeze after picks or competition begin.
All tied winners count. Voided predictions score zero, and a league race remains pending until every required result is confirmed or voided. Joining mid-season starts your scoring with future races.
Explore leagues →Good to Know
MotoGP picks cover the main Grand Prix
Pick three riders for the main race using the same 5/3/0 scoring. MotoGP has its own standings, groups, default picks, and pick streaks. Leagues can also include a MotoGP Sprint winner prediction; the main picks page does not offer MotoGP Sprint Challenges.
Picks open 5 days before the race
Choose P1, P2, and P3 once the pick window opens. Each driver or rider can only be used once.
Update picks until the scheduled start
Change your selections as often as you like before the race begins. Your latest submitted pick is the one that counts.
Default picks are a safety net
Premium default picks can fill in when you forget. They score 2 points per top-3 selection, up to 6, but do not continue a streak.
Results update the leaderboards
Scores and standings update after an admin enters the official results. Corrected results can be re-scored later.
Each series has its own season
Formula 1, NASCAR Cup, IndyCar, and MotoGP have separate standings. Groups are also tied to one series and season.