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Bruno from Florida managed his team, El Plano 123, to P2 in the 2023 Global League and won two tickets to the Grand Prix of his choice in 2024. Finishing ahead of 2.4M teams required dedication, effective resources, and a bit of good luck. In this exclusive interview, Bruno shares his path to the global podium and some tips for players as they compete for F1 Fantasy glory in 2024.
FanAmp: What was it like after Abu Dhabi knowing that you had the #2 team in the world out of 2.4 million?
Bruno: At first I was actually frustrated cause I thought I should have been first. Questionable DOTD [Tsunoda] and penalty [Perez] would have given me the title. But after a few hours I was glad I had the opportunity to finish so high up. Could not have imagined anything close to being in the top 10.
FanAmp: Has F1 contacted you about your prize yet? Where will you choose to see a race in 2024?
Bruno: Not contacted yet, planning to go to one of the races in Europe. I would say Budapest, Imola, and Barcelona are the top options for now!
FanAmp: How did your team make it to the top? Did you start off strong or make a late lunge?
Bruno: In my case I feel like it was more of a late lunge, but the key was consistency no doubt. I didn't really have many bad races. Almost all were above average results. I used Limitless in Monza, it went really well with my five drivers finishing in the top six. The “late lunge” was more in terms of ranking - I wasn't in the top 1000 until the last ten races.
FanAmp: McLaren's surge last season was a catalyst for many top teams. When did you start using them in your lineups?
Bruno: I think I had one race [after Canada] where I stuck with Aston Martin over McLaren and it didn't go well. After that, I moved to the MCL combo and it paid off. Still kept Alonso for multiple races!
FanAmp: Do you remember a pivotal moment that really shot your team up the rankings?
Bruno: If I have to point out one it would be Brazil where I bet on Perez and RB over Mercedes. Also I used the 3X DRS on Verstappen earlier in the year and scored 500+ points in that race, it was Max's home race. But again, the key was consistency (and luck of course).
FanAmp: How did you handle the last few weeks of the season once you were at the top of the rankings?
Bruno: I just watched every single practice session paying close attention and read the reports on simulation pace. Once I got to the top I was conservative. My nailed-on risky move was in Brazil betting on Perez after the disaster in Mexico. That moved me from 22nd to 1st.
FanAmp: Did you play prior to 2023 and, if so, how did your team fare those seasons?
Bruno: I played in 2022 only. It was really bad as I did not know the rules until halfway through the season.
FanAmp: How much of the game do you think is luck vs. skill?
Bruno: It definitely requires skill as you need to know the type of driver/car that takes the most advantage out of the scoring system. I would say 60-70% skill, 30-40% luck. So many intangibles and things that can go different ways.
FanAmp: What fantasy tools, websites, and advice do you follow when making your lineup decisions?
Bruno: For websites, F1 Fantasy Tools and F1 Fantasy (fantasy.formula1.com) plus all the Fantasy Twitter accounts: F1 Fantasy Hub, F1 Fantasy HQ, and F1 Fantasy Tips. Shout out to all of them.
FanAmp: For new players starting out this season, what advice would you give them?
Bruno: I would list the following topics: understanding the scoring system and know what type of cars/drivers are likely to score more, optimize chips based on Sprints/weather/prior performance on circuit, watching practice sessions and reading simulation pace reports, and don't try to risk too much all the time, it will likely go wrong.
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