Bahrain GP Daily Fantasy Picks

Bahrain GP DFS Advice

It's race week! We kick off the festivities in Bahrain after testing a week ago, now it’s time for the real thing.

For those of you who haven’t seen it yet, check out our GridRival DFS Primer for tips on how to play DFS on GridRival. It goes more in-depth on DFS strategy and gameplay than I can go into here with this piece. However, before each Grand Prix, I wanted to bring you a quick look at some of the drivers I am targeting going into the weekend and others I am avoiding in DFS.

Let’s get to it!

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Top Drivers to Play

Charles Leclerc - $24.4M

After testing, Ferrari looks like the No.2 team on the grid and seems the most ready to bring the fight to Red Bull. Leclerc might be a bit of a chalky pick due to his price savings compared to someone like Verstappen, Norris, or Russell, so take this with a grain of salt. But, we know he is a qualifying king and can get some great results there, helping you out even if his Saturday isn’t all that fantastic.

Carlos Sainz - $23.0M

Sainz has proven again and again to be almost, if not as good, as Leclerc on any given Sunday. He provides a little more salary relief and is likely less rostered than Leclerc. It doesn’t hurt that his ceiling is similar as well.

‍Nico Hulkenburg - $7.6M

The nice thing about Nico Hulkenberg is that he consistently puts the car where it shouldn’t be. His qualifying prowess is well-known, and I think he’ll keep surprising us this year. Haas may fall back in the race toward the back markers, but as long as Hulkenberg delivers in qualifying and has a decent race, he can easily pay off his salary here as the 17th-priced driver.

Valtteri Bottas - $6.2M

Zhou is getting hyped up after his day 3 testing run, but Bottas is known for putting in good performances to start the season. I think he’s a bit undervalued and can best out Zhou to start the year.

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‍Top Drivers to Avoid

‍Max Verstappen - $30.0M

It’s not a full fade, I will have him in some lineups, but it’s difficult to justify Max in DFS with his price being so high. He brings safety and scoring potential, hence making him a popular player thus another reason to avoid him. You’re trying to get different than the other contestants, and having Max could mean you fail to set yourself apart. However, if you are in 50/50 or H2H formats, Max is just fine. In those formats, it’s not exactly that you’re trying to win, you’re trying not to lose. Just beat half of the contestants (or one other person) and you win money, you don’t have to beat all of them!

Daniel Ricciardo $10.4M

Danny is another driver I expect to be a popular play this week. He’s being talked up in media and with his price being so low, it makes sense why people would want to take a shot at the promise of a lot of points for so little cost. That works on GridRival’s contract-style season-long format, but not in DFS, not for the Sprints or Winner Takes All. In 50/50 and H2H, just like Max, he’s an ok play.

Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon - $17.4M and $16.0M

You could make the argument that Alpine has the potential to be a decent play in DFS because everyone is avoiding them. If no one uses Gasly except you and he has a good race, you turn out ok. Here’s the thing, sometimes it’s ok to sit back and watch and take risks elsewhere. At their price, it’s tougher to justify the risk-reward for playing them over someone like Hulkenberg, Bottas, or Albon. The vibes around the team are bad after testing, and maybe practice sheds some light on the situation and things aren’t as bad as they seem. But until then, I am out.

We’re so close to hearing “lights out!” and I can’t wait. The 2024 F1 season is upon us, and that will do it for our quick dive into DFS for the Bahrain GP. Have fun and start building some lineups!

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