Motor Manager Runde 21: captain picks and best buys

Motor Manager Runde 21 preview: Las Vegas best buys, captain picks and who to sell

Motor Manager Runde 21 is the Las Vegas Grand Prix, with the deadline on Saturday 21 November. Three races are left in the game: Las Vegas in Runde 21, Qatar in Runde 22 and the season finale in Runde 23. That makes this the last calm transfer window of the season: there are two weeks between Brazil and Las Vegas, but only one week between each of the last three races. A move made now counts three times, so every pick below is judged on Las Vegas → Qatar → finale, not on Las Vegas alone.

The Las Vegas projections put Mercedes and McLaren on top. Andrea Kimi Antonelli is the top-projected driver at 201.6k, Lando Norris is second at 187.9k and Max Verstappen third at 184.3k. The Mercedes pit crew leads every asset in the game at 287.9k, and the Mercedes constructor leads the constructors at 178.5k. The two Ferrari drivers sit a clear step lower, at around 150k each.

Numbers below are TheFantasyTool projections (xP, in thousands of holdet points), points per million (PPM = xP / price) and the real points each asset scored in the last four scored races, Runde 16 to Runde 19 (Brazil's points are not in that record yet). Our projections for Runde 22 and Runde 23 currently carry the Runde 21 figure, so the run-in totals are three times it. They move to race-specific numbers as the betting markets for Qatar and the finale open, and the four-race record is what separates two assets with similar projections. Sort the whole field yourself on the Motor Manager player picks page.

The program behind Runde 21: Las Vegas → Qatar → finale

Every asset faces the same three races, so the question is not who has the best fixture but which projection is big enough, cheap enough and backed by recent form to own until the end of the season. The table ranks the leading assets by projected points over the three remaining races, with the Runde 16 to 19 record beside it.

Three things stand out for the run-in. The projections and the recent record disagree on Ferrari: the Ferrari constructor and pit crew have the best four-race records in their categories, but the Ferrari drivers project only about 150k a race. Mercedes is the projection story, with the top driver, the top constructor and the top pit crew. And Racing Bulls and Audi are where the value is, with the two best-value pit crews in the game. The money for the big moves should come from Russell, Piastri and the cheap drivers who are not scoring.

Best pit crew for Runde 21

RB pit crew (6.7m, Racing Bulls) is still the buy for Las Vegas → Qatar → finale: 240.9k → 240.9k → 240.9k, 722.7k over the three remaining races, and 36.1 points per million, the best value of any asset in the game. It projects 28.2k a race less than the Red Bull crew for 5.8m less, and 46.9k a race more than the Audi crew at the same price. Its record is steady (175k → 180k → 130k → 160k). Why now: the money it saves pays for a premium driver, and with only one week between the last three races this is the window where that kind of restructure is easiest to do.

Ferrari pit crew (13.6m) is the premium crew to buy for Las Vegas → Qatar → finale: 278.0k a race, 834.0k over the run-in, and the best four-race record of any pit crew at 1,220k, every race at 275k or more. It projects the same as McLaren's crew for 0.1m less, and only 10.4% own it. The Mercedes pit crew (14.8m) is the top projection at 287.9k a race, 863.7k over Las Vegas → Qatar → finale, and the pick if you want the highest number; it projects 9.9k a race more than Ferrari's for 1.1m more. The Red Bull pit crew (12.5m) is the value premium crew at 269.1k a race, 807.3k over Las Vegas → Qatar → finale, with 1,185k over its last four races. If you own it, keep it.

Audi pit crew (6.7m) is the second-best value in the game at 28.8 PPM: 194.0k a race, 582.0k over Las Vegas → Qatar → finale, and 180k in Mexico, its best race of the four. It is the pick for a second cheap crew slot. The Williams crew (8.1m, 176.9k) projects 17.1k a race less than Audi's for 1.4m more, so Audi is the better use of that money.

Best constructors for Runde 21

Red Bull (11.0m) is the constructor to buy for Las Vegas → Qatar → finale: 155.2k → 155.2k → 155.2k, 465.6k over the three remaining races, and the best PPM of the big four at 14.1. Its record never dipped below 207k (361k → 241k → 220k → 207k, 1,029k in total). It projects 3.3k a race more than Ferrari for 1.4m less, and 23.3k less than Mercedes for 3.9m less.

Mercedes (14.9m) is the top projection at 178.5k a race, 535.5k over Las Vegas → Qatar → finale, and it scored 235k and 218k in the last two scored races. At 47.2% owned it is the template constructor, and a hold for anyone who has it. Ferrari (12.4m) is the hold with the best record of any constructor: 225k → 330k → 324k → 350k, 1,229k over four races. It projects 151.9k a race over Las Vegas → Qatar → finale, the lowest of the big four, but that record is the strongest argument against selling it. If you own both Ferrari and Red Bull, you can wait a round on both.

Alpine (3.7m) is the cheap constructor: 49.0k a race, 147.0k over Las Vegas → Qatar → finale, at 13.3 PPM, the best value below 5m. RB (4.5m, 52.3k) projects 3.3k more for 0.8m more and has the better record (376k over four races against Alpine's 97k), so it is the pick if the money is there. Avoid the very cheapest: Cadillac (2.7m) projects 3.2k a race and Aston Martin (3.9m) 15.6k.

Best drivers for Runde 21

Andrea Kimi Antonelli (14.0m, Mercedes) is the driver to own for the run-in: 201.6k → 201.6k → 201.6k over Las Vegas → Qatar → finale, 604.8k over the three remaining races, the top driver projection and the best PPM of the premium drivers at 14.4. His record backs it up: 270k → 235k → 355k → 235k, never below 235k. At 53.7% owned he is also the driver who protects your rank. Why now: he is the projected captain for all three races, so if you do not own him, the cost of waiting is a captain's score per race, not a driver's.

Lando Norris (14.0m, McLaren) is the premium buy and the differential: 187.9k a race, 563.7k over Las Vegas → Qatar → finale, at the same price as Antonelli and owned by only 19.6%. His last three races were 210k, 195k and 195k. He projects 42.4k a race more than George Russell for 0.8m less and 48.3k more than Oscar Piastri for 0.8m more, which makes him the natural target for either sale below.

Max Verstappen (15.1m, Red Bull) is the hold. He projects 184.3k a race, 552.9k over Las Vegas → Qatar → finale, and his four-race total of 1,345k is the best of any driver, with 335k in Mexico. At 12.2 PPM he is the most expensive way to buy 184k a race, so he is not the driver to buy now, but there is no reason to sell him either.

Lewis Hamilton (12.0m, Ferrari) is the hold among the Ferrari drivers: 150.5k a race, 451.5k over Las Vegas → Qatar → finale, 345k in Mexico, and 2.8k a race more than Charles Leclerc for 1.4m less. Charles Leclerc (13.4m, Ferrari) projects 147.7k a race after 330k and 320k in Runde 17 and Runde 18. If you need a premium upgrade, Leclerc to Norris is worth 40.2k a race for 0.7m, 120.6k over Las Vegas → Qatar → finale. If you do not, his record makes him a fair hold.

Isack Hadjar (9.8m, Red Bull) is still the only driver between 8m and 11m: 123.0k a race, 369.0k over Las Vegas → Qatar → finale, at 12.5 PPM. His last four races were all between 120k and 170k, 600k in total, and 15.6% own him. He projects 16.6k a race less than Piastri for 3.4m less.

Budget drivers for Runde 21

Below 8m no driver projects more than 71k a race, and there is one clear value pick. Compare every cheap driver side by side in the Motor Manager driver and constructor picks.

Gabriel Bortoleto (4.9m, Audi) is the budget buy for Las Vegas → Qatar → finale: 68.2k → 68.2k → 68.2k, 204.6k over the run-in, at 14.0 PPM, the best value of any driver below 14m. He scored 154k in Mexico after 65k in Runde 18, and only 9.7% own him. He projects 7.3k a race more than Arvid Lindblad at the same price, and Lindblad (35.8% owned) has scored 30k, 48k and 25k in his last three races. If you own Lindblad, that swap is a small gain at no extra cost.

Liam Lawson (7.5m, Racing Bulls) is the highest-projected cheap driver at 70.8k a race, 212.4k over Las Vegas → Qatar → finale, and the in-form one: four straight races of 135k or more, 210k in Mexico and 673k in total, the best record of any driver below 9m. He projects only 2.6k a race more than Bortoleto for 2.6m more, so he is a hold rather than a buy. Franco Colapinto (4.9m, 60.1k) and Nico Hulkenberg (5.3m, 60.7k) are fair fillers but project less than Bortoleto at the same money.

Best captain for Motor Manager Runde 21

The captain scores double, and only drivers can be captain. Andrea Kimi Antonelli is the captain for Las Vegas: 201.6k projected, 403.2k as captain, the highest-projected driver in the game. Lando Norris is the alternative at 187.9k, 375.8k as captain, 13.7k behind. Max Verstappen is the third option at 184.3k, 368.6k as captain, and the pick for a manager who owns neither of the other two; his recent record is the strongest of the three.

Captaincy is a plan for the run-in, not one race. With the projections for Qatar and the finale currently the same as for Las Vegas, Antonelli is also the projected captain in Runde 22 and Runde 23, with Norris the back-up in each. That is the strongest argument for owning both: they are the top two armband options in every race that is left, the gap between them is small enough that a race-week market move can flip it, and they cost the same.

Who to sell before Runde 21

Sell George Russell (14.9m, Mercedes). His last three races were fair (140k → 135k → 185k), and 145.5k is not a bad projection. The problem is the price: he has the lowest PPM of any premium driver at 9.8, and Norris projects 42.4k a race more for 0.8m less. Why now: over Las Vegas → Qatar → finale that swap is worth 127.2k and frees money, and each race you wait takes a third of that gain off the table. If you do not own Antonelli, he is the better replacement: 56.1k a race more than Russell for 0.8m less.

Sell Oscar Piastri (13.2m, McLaren). He projects 139.6k a race after a 31k in Mexico, and Norris projects 48.3k more for 0.8m more. Why now: three races of that gap is 144.9k, and it only shrinks the longer you hold.

Sell Carlos Sainz (6.0m, Williams). 17.9% of managers own him, and he projects 31.4k a race with a best of 52k in his last four races. Bortoleto projects 36.8k more for 1.1m less, 110.4k over Las Vegas → Qatar → finale. Oliver Bearman (6.1m, Haas) is the same move: 14.3% own him, he projects 51.0k a race after 4k and 3k in his last two races, and Bortoleto projects 17.2k more for 1.2m less, 51.6k over Las Vegas → Qatar → finale. Why now: there is no better race ahead for either of them to wait for, and the move releases money.

Sell the Williams and Haas constructors. Williams (5.4m) projects 12.4k a race and scored 0k in three of its last four races, yet 8.7% still own it; Alpine projects 36.6k more for 1.7m less. Haas (4.5m, also 8.7% owned) projects 35.3k after 12k, 0k, 3k and 54k, while Alpine projects 13.7k more for 0.9m less. Why now: both swaps gain points and money at once, so there is nothing to gain by waiting.

Sell Sergio Perez (3.7m, Cadillac) when the money allows. He projects 18.5k a race and 11.2% own him. Bortoleto projects 49.7k more for 1.2m more, 149.1k over Las Vegas → Qatar → finale. That is a points move that costs money, so make it when a sale above leaves the money spare.

Transfer summary for Runde 21

Buy: Antonelli if you do not own him, Norris as the premium differential, the RB pit crew as the value crew, the Ferrari or Mercedes pit crew as the premium crew, the Audi pit crew for a second cheap crew slot, the Red Bull constructor, Bortoleto in a budget slot, Alpine as the cheap constructor. Hold: Verstappen, Hamilton, Leclerc, Hadjar, Lawson, the Mercedes and Ferrari constructors, the Red Bull pit crew. Sell: Russell, Piastri, Sainz, Bearman, the Williams and Haas constructors, and Perez when the money allows. Captain: Antonelli, with Norris the alternative, for Las Vegas and the two races behind it.

The optimal teams for Motor Manager page solves the best legal squad live, for Runde 21 alone or for all three remaining races together. Check the Motor Manager schedule for the one-week gaps between the last three races, and the Motor Manager market probabilities once the Las Vegas betting markets open. Last round's picks are in the Motor Manager Runde 20 preview, and every round is collected in the Motor Manager preview hub. New to the game? Start with the Motor Manager strategy guide.

FAQ

Who should I captain in Motor Manager Runde 21?

Andrea Kimi Antonelli. He projects 201.6k for Las Vegas, 403.2k as captain, the highest of any driver. Lando Norris is 13.7k behind at 187.9k and is the alternative; Max Verstappen (184.3k) is the third option.

Who are the best buys in Motor Manager Runde 21?

Lando Norris, the RB pit crew and Gabriel Bortoleto. Norris projects 187.9k a race at 19.6% ownership, the RB crew is the best value in the game at 36.1 points per million, and Bortoleto is the best-value cheap driver at 14.0 points per million. All three are judged on Las Vegas, Qatar and the finale together.

What is the best pit crew in Motor Manager Runde 21?

The RB pit crew is the best value: 240.9k projected per race at 6.7m. The Mercedes crew has the top projection at 287.9k, and the Ferrari crew has the best record of any pit crew, 1,220k over its last four races, with a projection of 278.0k.

Should I sell George Russell before Motor Manager Runde 21?

Yes. Russell projects 145.5k at 14.9m, and Lando Norris projects 42.4k more for 0.8m less. A swap made before 21 November counts in all three remaining races, worth 127.2k over the run-in.

Which cheap drivers are best for Motor Manager Runde 21?

Gabriel Bortoleto (4.9m, 68.2k) is the best value at 14.0 points per million. Liam Lawson (7.5m, 70.8k) is the highest-projected and most in-form cheap driver. Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez project below 35k and are the ones to move on.

This preview was written by TheFantasyTool AI.