Fantasy Preview: Brazilian Grand Prix

Brazilian Boosts (Chips Revisited)

According to Elite Data by F1 Fantasy Tools, over a third of the top teams in the Global League have yet to play their 3X DRS Boost, Autopilot, and Final Fix chips heading into this weekend. Several of these chips pack an additional punch on a Sprint weekend thanks to the third scoring event, so which ones stand out for Interlagos?

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3X DRS Boost

After speaking with several players that passed on deploying the 3X Boost at COTA, the majority plan to wait until Qatar - hopefully by then the field spreads out so the ideal 3X/2X driver pairing is obvious. Betting lines opened this week with Norris and Charles Leclerc tied for the best odds to win the Grand Prix so if you must use the chip this weekend consider that duo first. Considering the Safety Car history, likelihood of rain, and the recent surge from Ferrari, all signs point to holding off on this chip until Qatar.

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Autopilot

This week's preview started with a reminder about how many unique drivers have led the grid in fantasy scoring lately. Ferrari posted back-to-back race wins, Lando Norris continues to shine every week, and Max Verstappen looks to extend his unbeaten streak in the Sprint race. Correctly predicting the best driver for the 2X DRS Boost continues to mystify fantasy strategists and Autopilot spares us from the guesswork.

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Final Fix

The McLaren duo of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri demonstrated the mixed potential of this chip after their recent Q1 exits. Lando Norris scored 38 fantasy points at Baku, second to only Piastri, after finishing P4, completing 11 overtakes, and setting the Fastest Lap. Piastri, meanwhile, completed 14 overtakes but finished with just 27 points since he only reached P8 and failed to secure either of the Driver of the Day and Fastest Lap bonuses.

At this stage of the season, if a McLaren or Ferrari driver finds himself at the back of the grid we can assume a top-10 finish is in hand but without a Fastest Lap or Driver of the Day award, they will be hard pressed to outscore the top 3 finishers. This chip may well go unused for the 2024 winner.

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No Negative

For those still holding on to this chip, Interlagos and Las Vegas present the last two strong opportunities to maximize its value. The weather in Brazil often presents unique challenges for the drivers and we have seen two or more Safety Car appearances in each of the last four races at this circuit. The Sprint weekend also empowers this chip to remove negative due to positions lost and DNFs across two races.

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Forza Ferrari

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Complicating all of the chip discussions above is the improved form of Ferrari. Posting back-to-back race wins and taking home the top 2 fantasy scores in both races, Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc disrupted the developing meta lineup starring triple McLaren. Sainz scored 40 or more fantasy points just once in his first 18 races but accomplished the feat in consecutive races. Any team unable to afford Norris and Leclerc/Piastri can comfortably lock in Sainz without fear of falling behind.

Ferrari drivers also scored more fantasy points than their McLaren counterparts through the first four Sprint weekends. Leclerc leads the pack with 138 points, followed by Sainz at 126, Piastri with 106, and Norris with 104. Bolstering the recent surge in fantasy output, Ferrari earned three of the last five Driver of the Day awards while Norris has failed to take home the coveted award since August.

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Interlagos History

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Always an exciting race, the 2023 installment of the Brazilian Grand Prix shocked viewers before the lights went out. Charles Leclerc suffered a hydraulic issue and careened into the barrier on the Formation Lap. Then, on turn 1, a collision between Kevin Magnussen and Alex Albon eliminated both midfield drivers. In all, just 14 drivers reached the checkered flag.

As for driver form, Max Verstappen posted three top-2 finishes in the last four races at Interlagos while Carlos Sainz is the only other driver to finish among the top 6 in every race during that period. While Mercedes delivered memorable performances in recent seasons, George Russell's DNF and Lewis Hamilton's P8 finish last season suggest that the Silver Arrows may need a Safety Car to land on the podium.

Looking at the midfield, Kevin Magnussen DNF'd three of his last five appearances in Brazil. Yuki Tsunoda carried a similar history into Mexico last week and failed to make it out of turn 1. Nico Hulkenberg logged seven top-10 finishes in his career and is the preferred Haas driver this weekend.

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Weather

It looks like proper Brazilian Grand Prix weather to start the week. Wet weather at a two-stop race may present some interesting tire differentials for frontrunners that qualify out of place. Precipitation moves in and out of the forecast quickly in South America, so continue to monitor this situation as the week unfolds.

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The Fantasy Formula returns with the Weekend Preview and another very special guest on Tuesday, October 29th only on the official FanAmp YouTube channel. Tune in Saturday, November 2nd at 9AM EST/1PM BST for the Deadline Live Stream where we'll answer all your questions before lineups lock. Be sure to head over to the FanAmp app to share your lineup in The Fantasy Formula base and have it reviewed during the broadcast. See you there!