The Formula One season is almost upon us which for the drivers means turning fantasy into reality. For many race fans, it means turning reality into fantasy and putting together a crack squad of drivers to conquer the virtual world.
Here’s how to play on the official F1 fantasy game and a few tips for a successful strategy.
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Firstly, you get a point for every point your drivers score. You also get bonuses for qualifying in the top 10 (10 points for first, one for 10th) and for out-qualifying a teammate. These points apply to both drivers and teams.
During the race, a driver can gain points for:
Both team and driver can gain points for:
It might seem obvious, but don’t pick your squad on a Wednesday. At very least, you should be waiting until after Friday’s two practice sessions to make any changes to your team, especially in Australia where we will be finding out the true pace of the teams for the very first time.
Ideally, you should wait until after free practice three on Saturday to settle on your line-up, but that isn’t always practical. In which case, the first two practice sessions should be enough to get some information on who might be quick on any given weekend.
In the majority of teams in 2020, there is clear favourite to be the superior driver. Beating a teammate in qualifying and in the race is worth a total of five points for each driver and could be a handy kicker with your cheaper drivers who might not be picking up more than a couple of championship points each week. In teams where there is a clear hierarchy, you might benefit from some team orders too.
Don’t underestimate the value of those who spend their time watching Q2 from the paddock and dodging blue flags on Sundays. If you start at the back, you can’t lose any positions after all, something global champion Lewis Johnson knew by picking George Russell last year, whose consistency and supremacy over teammate Robert Kubica made him a valuable asset.
It may seem obvious, but don’t overthink picking Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas in your squad, even though it will cost you $59.7m and leave you value-hunting elsewhere. They looked dominant in testing, they have won six constructors’ titles in a row and Hamilton is one of the greatest drivers of all time. Just pick them. It will never be wrong by much.
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