How to Run a Sweepstake for the Formula 1 Season

How does a sweepstake work?

It's simple - everyone pays the same amount, and in return, receives a randomly assigned driver. You can do this by drawing drivers from a hat or using our sweepstake generator below. Simply pop in the names and emails of your sweepstake participants (it doesn’t matter how many) and you’re ready to go.

‘But there’s only x/y numbers of driver’ I hear you say! That’s totally fine, participants will be randomly assigned to drivers, so a number of people may have the same driver. Yes they share the winnings, but the more people playing, the more winnings there are to share! 

Now to collect the money. Download Collctiv for free and start collecting money today!

How to run a sweepstake for the Formula 1 season 

Running a Formula 1 sweepstake for the 2026 season is the ultimate way to turn every Grand Prix Sunday into a high-stakes, group-wide event. With the 2026 season being one of the most anticipated in years—thanks to the massive overhaul in technical regulations and the introduction of a 24-race calendar—there has never been a better time to get your friends, family, or colleagues involved in the action.

But let’s be honest: the excitement of a sweepstake often dies before the first light turns green because of the admin. Chasing people for £10, trying to remember who drew Lewis Hamilton and who’s stuck with a rookie, and keeping track of a prize pot for nine months is enough to make any "Organiser" want to retire.

That’s where Collctiv comes in. In this guide, we’ll show you how to set up the perfect F1 2026 sweepstake, how to keep the engagement high over 24 races, and how to use Collctiv to handle the money so you can focus on the racing.

1. Choose Your Sweepstake Format

F1 is unique because you have a fixed set of 20 drivers and 10 teams, but the season lasts nearly a year. You need a format that keeps everyone interested from the Australian Grand Prix in March all the way to the finale in Abu Dhabi in December.

Option A: The "Season-Long Driver" (Low Admin)

This is the classic sweepstake. You have 20 participants, and each draws one driver.

• How it works: Participants pay a one-time entry fee (e.g., £20). Whatever points their driver earns in the real-world FIA standings, they earn in the sweepstake.
• Why it’s great: It’s simple. You don’t need to do a new draw every week.
• The Downside: If someone draws a driver in a struggling car, they might lose interest by May.

Option B: The "Constructors' Syndicate" (Team Based)

Instead of drivers, people draw one of the 10 teams.

• How it works: Because there are only 10 teams, you can either have a smaller group or have people pair up. This is great for offices. If you draw "Ferrari," you get the points from both of their drivers.
• The Benefit: It feels more "stable." Even if one driver crashes out, you still have a horse in the race.

Option C: The "Rotation Draw" (High Engagement)

To keep things fair, you do a fresh draw for every single race.

• How it works: Before each Grand Prix, you use a generator to assign drivers.
• The Benefit: Everyone has a chance to hold the championship-leader's fate at least once.

2. Setting the Stakes: Prize Pot Ideas

To make your 2026 sweepstake legendary, you need to decide how to split the winnings. Using a Collctiv pot makes this easy because you can see exactly how much you have at any given time.

For a £500 pot (e.g., 25 people x £20), consider this split:

• The World Champion (1st Place): £250
• The Runner-Up (2nd Place): £100
• The Podium (3rd Place): £50
• The "Fastest Lap" Fund: £5 to the person whose driver gets the fastest lap in each of the 24 races (Total £120). This keeps people checking the stats until the very last lap!

3. How Collctiv Makes It Possible

The biggest hurdle to a season-long sweepstake is the money. You’re asking people to commit to something that lasts nine months. If you’re the one "fronting" the prize money or trying to track 20 different bank transfers, you’re going to get a headache.

Stop the "Dave" Problem

We all have a "Dave." Dave says he’s "in," but he hasn't paid. Then the season starts, his driver wins the first race, and suddenly Dave is the most excited person in the group—despite still owing you £20.

The Collctiv Way: Create your "F1 2026 Sweepstake" Pot in seconds. Share the custom payment link or QR code in your WhatsApp group or Slack channel.

• No Excuses: Your friends don’t need to download an app or set up an account. They pay via Apple Pay or Google Pay in about 10 seconds.
• Transparency: Everyone can see the total growing. It creates a "social contract"—people are much more likely to pay when they see everyone else has already chipped in.

Keep the Money Separate

Don't mix sweepstake money with your rent and grocery money. Collctiv keeps the funds in a dedicated digital pot. You can see a clear list of who has paid, when they paid, and exactly how much you have to give away at the end of the year.

4. The 2026 Season: What You Need to Know

The 2026 season is going to be a record-breaker. If you're running a sweepstake, here are the key dates to keep in your calendar (and your pot's "closing date"):

• Season Opener: Australian Grand Prix (March 6–8)
• The Debut: The Madrid Grand Prix joins the calendar as a new street race.
• The Finale: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (December 4–6)

With 24 races on the schedule, it is a marathon, not a sprint.

5. Pro-Tips for the F1 Organiser

Use a "Tiered" Entry

If you have more than 20 people wanting to play, don't turn them away! You can run two "Leagues" or have people "buy into" specific tiers. Tier 1 gets the top 10 drivers, Tier 2 gets the bottom 10, with different entry fees and prize levels.

The "Silly Season" Twist

In F1, "Silly Season" is when driver transfers are announced. You can add a bonus prize for the person who correctly predicts the first driver to announce a move for the 2027 season.

Automated Updates

Don’t be the person manually calculating points every Sunday night. Use an F1 points tracker or a simple spreadsheet shared on Google Drive. Post the "Collctiv Leaderboard" once a month to show everyone what they are playing for.

Conclusion: Start Your Engines

Running a sweepstake transforms F1 from a solo viewing experience into a season-long social event. It gives you a reason to cheer for a driver you’d normally ignore and a reason to stay connected with your group chat all year long.

By using Collctiv, you remove the only "bad" part of being an organiser: the money faff. You get to be the hero who distributes the prize money at the end of the year, rather than the "debt collector" who spent the whole season chasing it.

Ready to get the 2026 season started? [Download Collctiv here] and create your F1 Sweepstake Pot today. The first race is closer than you think!

Organisers bring people together

Collctiv has helped more than two million people from over 140 countries come together for the moments and experiences that matter by making it easy to collect and spend group money. Download Collctiv and start collecting money today.

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