F1 Fantasy Tips: The Sportsrush takes a look at the Fantasy Team prospects for the Official Formula 1 Fantasy game for the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.
It’s that time of the year again! Five days from now, the red lights will go out at the Sakhir International Circuit in Bahrain.
There are a lot of things to look forward to this season. Firstly, we see the gigantic return of Aston Martin, the iconic British automobile giants taking over from Racing Point. On similar lines, Renault has re-branded itself to its umbrella brand Alpine.
On the driver’s front, we will see Mick Schumacher, the son of the GOAT Michael for the first time in F1. 2021 is also marking the return of the two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, adding himself to the quartet world champions racing this season, alongside Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, and Kimi Raikkonen.
To whet your appetite, the popular Official Fantasy Game by Formula 1 is live and running on the Official F1 Fantasy website. Join our official group using the league code 83ef0d2dcb.
To help you with the team for this weekend, we at The Sportsrush have done a simulation and created a team of our own. This is completely based on our rationale, focusing on quality, and balance, and the pre-season testing results.
The team comprises 5 drivers, and a preferred Constructor, made within a budget of $100m (with a natural increase in value). So, let’s dive in to see who makes our fantasy grid.
Lewis Hamilton – Mercedes – $33.5m
It is only prudent to have the reigning champion as the first name on our fantasy ‘grid’. The seven-time world champion may have struggled with control during testing in Bahrain, but the true champion he is, he should be able to bounce back strong and open the season with a bang.
Max Verstappen – Red Bull – $24.8m
This is like having Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the same team. Better, in fantasy terms, Kevin de Bruyne and Bruno Fernandes – a major coup. Verstappen is the only driver, hands down, who can dethrone Hamilton from his pedestal this season. And if his Bahrain testing is anything to go by, Hamilton and his employers Mercedes have a mammoth challenge on their hands this term.
Kimi Raikkonen – Alfa Romeo – $9.6m
The Ice Man. The Grand Old Man of Formula 1. The former Ferrari champion defies any age-related logic that is thrown at Formula 1. At over 40, the Finn covered more laps in Bahrain than the Ferrari duo of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc COMBINED. He has clearly been an inspiration to Alonso and Vettel to return and continue in the sport, respectively. And with Alfa Romeo looking stronger again, signing him could turn out to be a master-stroke.
Yuki Tsunoda – AlphaTauri – $8.8m
Considered by many to be the best Japanese to step on to the Formula 1 platform, Yuki Tsunoda could be the dark horse this season. The Honda-backed driver is making his debut with AlphaTauri this season, with an eye on the more prestigious sister team Red Bull’s seat in the upcoming years. A value-for-money option, if you are looking for one.
Mick Schumacher – Haas – $5.8m
The son of the Greatest of All Time. Scratch that. The reigning Formula 2 champion and the most-talked-about driver heading into this season. He’s with a team that did well back in 2018 but has struggled massively in the last two. With an improved Ferrari engine, this Ferrari Driver Academy cadet and son of the Ferrari legend can do wonders this season, a la George Russell last season.
Alpine – Ocon and Alonso – $15.4m
French giants Renault have been around in this business since 1977, but have decided to promote their sub-brand Alpine from this season. Alpine sees the return of their two-time world champion Fernando Alonso, who is set on to add another title to his kitty. With a decent pre-season outing, Alpine could be the team to watch out for this season, starting with the Bahrain Grand Prix.
