The new season is gradually drawing closer and it�s time to start thinking about how you will be participating. It may be that when it comes to Grand Prix time, you just want to sit back, relax and watch the show. That sounds like a perfectly good way to spend a Sunday afternoon to me. But it may be that you would prefer to be a little more active in proceedings than that. Obviously you can�t go down to the racetrack and jump behind the wheel of a car and that�s where Fantasy F1 comes in handy.

There are many different types of Fantasy games, but the basic idea is that you have a guess at what is going to happen in each race and then you are rewarded on how accurate you were. Some are as simple as predicting winners and losers, others are much more complex games of buying, selling, markets and prices. However involved you want to get, Fantasy Formula 1 can be a good way of getting something extra out of the race.

Here are a couple of examples for you:

F1 Tipping
This is a really fun and simple predictions site, where you can have a stab at predicting the top three qualifiers and race finishers and see whether you�re right or not. It�s easy to set up a free account and sign in, and then you can set up leagues and compare yourself with other like-minded Formula 1 fans.

Fantasy League F1
An official competition affiliated with Autosport.com, there�s a chance you could win a decent prize in this. There are �20,000 worth of prizes up for grabs, which means it�s a bit more complex than the simple predictions. However, all you have to do is sign in, pick six drivers and a constructor within a limited budget, and sit back and see what they do. You�ll be awarded points and then see whether you need to start changing your driver selections between races so you can get even more points next time round.

F1 Grand Prix Manager
This is similar to the last one, but there are a few more gaming options, and the chance to compare yourself to your friends is a lot more obvious. There�s no monetary prizes, but if there is a group of you wanting to battle it out, then your pride is at stake.

Pick which style of game suits you best, from the simple predictions to the more complex decision-making budgeted strategies and then enjoy the season from a much more involved point of view.