Elite Data Insights After COTA

Now that F1 Fantasy Tools has armed players with metadata about the Top 500 teams in the Global League, we can analyze their moves to predict the best strategies for upcoming races:

• 24% of teams in this group deployed the 3X DRS Boost. Heading into the weekend 60% still held this chip, so the rise of Max Verstappen and George Russell in Sprint Qualifying inspired many to defer the chip to Interlagos or Qatar.

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• Speaking of Verstappen, his ownership among elite teams increased from 0.2% to 18%. Those with larger budgets could afford Verstappen and Lando Norris and this pairing may be popular again given Verstappen's strong history in Mexico.

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• The strong start for Mercedes appears to have fooled even the best players. Over 14% of the Top 500 selected Mercedes, who scored just 33 points and finished as the P4 constructor.

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• The rookie love continues, as Franco Colapinto became the most owned driver in this group (90%), while Liam Lawson was added on 12% of teams. Both drivers impressed at COTA and will be popular heading into this weekend.

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Mexico City History

Max Verstappen won each of the last three races at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, while Lewis Hamilton finished P2 in those contests and looks to rebound from a forgettable weekend at COTA. The Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz also carry a strong record at this circuit, both finishing in the top 6 during the same span. Lando Norris has never finished higher than P5 in Mexico but the MCL38 looks mighty every weekend.

Typically a low-attrition event, just two drivers failed to classify in three of the last four Mexican Grands Prix. In perhaps the most interesting race in recent memory, last season's race featured a series of incidents that forced hometown hero Sergio Perez, Kevin Magnussen, and Lance Stroll to retire while Fernando Alonso and Logan Sargeant suffered mechanical failures.

The circuit underwent major changes in 2023 that immediately impacted overtaking - the Mexican Grand Prix last season featured the third most overtakes on the entire calendar after only 24 passes were made in 2022.

Weather

Early forecasts for this weekend call for cool and clear weather. All signs point to another excellent weekend for racing, so chips that buffer uncertain conditions such as Autopilot and No Negative should be holstered for a later race.

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Three Lineups for Three Budgets

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$123M

This budget tier has been restricted to Lando Norris plus midfield drivers for weeks, but a brilliant win from Charles Leclerc and strong form from George Russell despite destroying his upgrades in Qualifying present an interesting differential. Russell's success at Interlagos suggests that this lineup could provide value for at least two races. A double premium team with double Williams, instead of double Sauber, looks appealing.

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$128M

Sticking with Old Faithful since this build falls short of affording Verstappen or Lawson without major sacrifices. Leclerc stands out over Piastri, but the Australian always remains a possibility based on Free Practice.

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$133M

You can play it safe with this budget by upgrading the $128M lineup to include Lawson, but to mix it up this price tier can afford a Verstappen and Leclerc/Piastri team with double Williams. If Verstappen and Leclerc continue to stand out, this team could dominate a triple McLaren build.

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The Fantasy Formula returns with the Weekend Preview on Tuesday, October 22nd only on the official FanAmp YouTube channel. Tune in Saturday, October 26th at 4PM EST/9PM 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!

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