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Round 21 in Brazil is the penultimate race of the 2022 season. The Formula 1 Championship has long been decided, but there are still trophies and podiums to be won.
The DraftKings Heineken Brazil Grand Prix 2022 slate locks at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Set your DraftKings Fantasy F1 lineups here: F1 $30K Grand Prix [$10K to 1st]
1. Max Verstappen ($13,800) — Eight wins in the last nine races is astounding. For DFS purposes, it’s interesting to note that Verstappen was the Captain’s Pick in seven of those eight wins.
2. Sergio Perez ($9,400) — It’s hard to roster Checo. It’s not because of his performance, it’s because of the DFS F1 rules. In the last seven GPs, Verstappen and Red Bull were a part of the optimal lineup six times. The one exception was Checo’s win in Singapore.
3. Lewis Hamilton ($10,600) — Just one break. One perfectly timed safety car and Hamilton could get that elusive win. Hamilton has finished second in the last two races. Mercedes could be very competitive at this downforce track.
4. Charles Leclerc ($10,800) — Brazil is a downforce track. Red Bull’s RB18 has been the best everywhere even at the downforce tracks, but Ferrari is a little closer at this type of track. The last time Red Bull didn’t win was way back in Austria (high-altitude track). Leclerc won that Grand Prix.
5. Carlos Sainz ($8,600) — Ferrari detuned their engines for the high altitude in Mexico. Brazil is another high-altitude track. Ferrari has a choice. They can detune again, and save their engines and money in Brazil. If so, their slower speeds will allow Mercedes to close the gap in the standings.
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6. Esteban Ocon ($6,000) — Red Bull has everything locked up, but there are several compelling constructor battles taking place. Alpine and McLaren continue to duke it out for the best among the mid-pack. Ocon is very affordable for a fringe top-5 driver.
7. George Russell ($9,800) — As the season draws down and Russell’s teammate’s streak of consecutive seasons with a win nears expiration, one would assume that Merc would pay a little more attention to Hamilton’s car. As much as they say it doesn’t matter, we all know that it does. Without a discount, it’s hard to roster Russell playing second fiddle.
8. Sebastian Vettel ($5,600) — There is rain in the forecast for the Brazil GP. Weather does not completely equalize the field, but Vettel is one of the best drivers under wet conditions, at least among the mid-pack.
9. Alex Albon ($4,400) — This is a fantasy sports article. Albon is mostly irrelevant in F1, even in a 20-driver field. However, in DFS where salaries matter, Albon is just as relevant as Max Verstappen. Albon has been in the optimal lineup nine times this season (second-most).
10. Lando Norris ($7,600) — It could have been a better season for Norris, but he got what the car gave. There could have been better days — or worse. Typically, Norris comfortably slides into the back half of the top 10 each week. Brazil should be more of the same.
Set your DraftKings Fantasy F1 lineups here: F1 $30K Grand Prix [$10K to 1st]
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is greenflagradio2) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.