Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia
Location: Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Course: Sepang International Circuit
Course Length: 5.54km
Laps: 56
Bahrain Grand Prix Race Preview
George Russell closed the gap to Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli with a win from pole position a week ago in Azerbaijan. A crash in qualifying by Antonelli set Russell up to seize the advantage. However, he was pushed to the line by Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen as that team put all the pieces together to get the most out of their cars in the race. Backing up Verstappen's second-place finish was Isack Hadjar taking the third spot on the podium upon his return to action following an injury layoff. This week the series tackles the Bahrain Grand Prix, but the race won't be contested in Bahrain. The geopolitical situation that has hung over the races scheduled in the Middle East continues, and this week's venue has been shifted to Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. It will be the first time the series has raced on this track since 2017 and its long straights will test the new power regulations as teams work to optimize energy deployment strategies in order to get the quickest lap times and ultimately the race victory.
Key Stats at Sepang International Circuit
- Races: 19
- Winners from pole: 9
- Winners from top-5 starters: 17
- Winners from top-10 starters: 19
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 0
- Fastest race: 206.889 km/h
Previous 10 Sepang Grand Prix Winners
2017 - Max Verstappen
2016 - Daniel Ricciardo
2015 - Sebastian Vettel
2014 - Lewis Hamilton
2013 - Sebastian Vettel
2012 - Fernando Alonso
2011 - Sebastian Vettel
2010 - Sebastian Vettel
2009 - Jenson Button
2008 - Kimi Raikkonen
Sepang International Circuit is a driver's favorite with long straights and high- to medium-speed corners. Not only will teams be pushed to find the optimum energy deployment strategy, but they'll have to ensure the car is well balanced to enable drivers to get the maximum speed through corners. Sepang is also traditionally hard on tires. Managing that wear and structuring pit strategy to find the quickest sequence of tire changes will also come into play this weekend. An unknown factor to contend with is the weather. Malaysia is hot, humid, and tropical. Many previous races and race weekends have been interrupted by heavy downpours that can come quickly and be quite severe. Since the series has not raced at the track since 2017, several drivers will be competing on it for the first time. Throw into that mix the season's all new cars and this could be an unpredictable race weekend that just might tighten the championship battle even further.
RotoWire Formula 1 DFS Tools
DraftKings Value Picks for the Bahrain Grand Prix
Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Kimi Antonelli - $13,400
George Russell - $12,400
Lando Norris - $12,000
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Max Verstappen - $10,600
Charles Leclerc - $9,800
Oscar Piastri - $9,000
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Isack Hadjar - $7,600
Pierre Gasly - $6,000
Liam Lawson - $5,600
Oliver Bearman - $4,600
DraftKings Constructor Values
Mercedes - $13,700
Ferrari - $12,200
McLaren - $11,700
Red Bull Racing - $8,200
Optimal DraftKings Lineup for the Bahrain Grand Prix
Team Captain - Lewis Hamilton - $14,100
Isack Hadjar - $7,600
Pierre Gasly - $6,000
Liam Lawson - $5,600
Oliver Bearman - $4,600
Constructor - McLaren - $11,700
When we talk about a driver's track like Sepang, names like Lewis Hamilton immediately rise to the top. The multi-time champion has a knack at getting the most out of cars in medium- to high-speed corners, and his experience at this circuit will help him get on pace very quickly. Hamilton won on this circuit in 2014 and started on pole six of the last seven Formula 1 races there. If Ferrari can learn from what held them back at Azerbaijan and make adjustments to fix that, Hamilton could be a very strong option for a top finish on Sunday.
Isack Hadjar's return to action went swimmingly. He missed the three prior races after suffering a wrist injury, but stormed to a podium finish with the Red Bull car achieving its potential at Azerbaijan. The team's performance last week helps substantiate claims that they have the most powerful power unit in the field, but the team still has to work to get it functioning at its full potential. Sepang, with its long straights and fast corners, could be another venue this car can stretch its legs, and Hadjar will be prepared to grab another podium if that turns out to be the case.
Sitting 10th in the championship standings, Pierre Gasly could also be a good choice this weekend. The Alpine driver has one prior Sepang start with the old Torro Rosso team in 2017. He started 15th and finished 14th that afternoon, which supports his positive finish differential thus far this season, too. Just last week at Azerbaijan, he started 14th and finished 12th. A similar outing this week would generate valuable points from his mid-tier positioning.
Much of the same can be said about Liam Lawson. He does not have prior experience at Sepang. However, on average this season, Lawson has improved his finishing position two spots from where he started. That is one of the highest finish differentials in the field, which makes Lawson a compelling option at a reasonable price point.
Oliver Bearman also boasts a positive finish differential through 2026 thus far. He does not have track experience but with many drivers in the same boat, that shouldn't be too big of a hinderance for him in the mid-pack battle. Bearman was a top-10 competitor throughout the race weekend at Azerbaijan, and fantasy players should expect something similar from him this week, too.
From a constructor's perspective, McLaren remains one of the most confident selections. Barring Lando Norris' premature exit from last week's race, both drivers are capable of fighting for podium positions and consistently finish among the top contenders, if not winning outright. The team's price in comparison to Mercedes and Ferrari is also much more attractive this week, especially considering the team has not necessarily lost ground to the competition, rather they just need to eliminate some mistakes in order to return to their usual spots on the podium.
Formula 1 Betting Picks for the Bahrain Grand Prix
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of 4:00 PM ET Thursday
Race Winner - Kimi Antonelli +135
Podium Finish - Lando Norris +125
Top-Ten Finish - Franco Colapinto +250
A mistake in qualifying last week at Azerbaijan forced Kimi Antonelli into an unfavorable starting spot for the race. Despite starting 16th, he still clawed his way forward to finish fifth in the race. Mistakes have been present for the young Mercedes driver this season, but they have not been persistent. Antonelli is in a position he has never faced before, but he is learning and continuing to impress. Since Mercedes remains the car to beat, Antonelli remains the championship favorite. The main risk with opting for him to win this week would be another mistake, which is not likely considering his continued growth behind the wheel in Formula 1.
An early exit from last week's race may be helping a bit with Lando Norris' odds this week. Just before the summer break and immediately after, McLaren flexed their muscle and showed they have closed the gap to Mercedes. While the two cars are still not quite on equal terms, McLaren can challenge for wins and top finishes on a regular basis. Norris' crash at Azerbaijan was an anomaly, and fans should expect him to return to his competitive ways this week at Sepang.
Also involved in that crash last week was Franco Colapinto. Even with the retirement, Colapinto has finished in the top 10 eight out of 15 races so far this season. The Alpine driver has been a reliable mid-pack driver for fantasy rosters and comes with attractive odds for a 10th-place finish this week. Again, like Norris, last week's crash is helping give wagerers a premium by selecting him this week, which is an option that should be taken.
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