F1 Fantasy tips for the Turkish Grand Prix – Why Red Bull and McLaren are the ones to watch

Round 16 of the 2021 championship is here and it's time to look at how you can maximise your F1 Fantasy points for the 2021 Turkish Grand Prix at Istanbul Park.

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Who should you buy for the Turkish Grand Prix?

Lewis Hamilton ($33.1m) will incur a 10-place grid penalty for the Turkish GP, which means he won’t score as healthily as he normally might. That means it could be time to re-purchase Red Bull’s Max Verstappen ($25.6m), who could well reverse the two-point deficit in the standings with a strong finish here. Wait as late as you can before qualifying to make your changes – just in case others incur penalties.

For those who aren’t superstitious about the supposed ‘curse’ that one-off liveries bring, you could even double down on the Red Bull drivers and include Sergio Perez ($18.3m) in your team this weekend alongside Verstappen.

READ MORE: 'It’s not really going to change my life' – Verstappen brushes off title pressure as F1 arrives in Turkey

Lando Norris ($14.2m), who nearly won in Russia, continues to be an essential pick for your F1 Fantasy team – while George Russell ($6.3m) could well spring a surprise here if rain hits. He managed P3 on the grid in the wet at Sochi, and P2 in Belgium, after all.

As for your final pick, perhaps Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel ($15.2m) or Lance Stroll ($13.3m) could be an effective outside bet in Turkey given the former took his last podium for Ferrari here and the latter took a shock pole position for Racing Point in 2020. Speaking of Ferrari, note that Carlos Sainz will start from the back of the grid.

FORM GUIDE: Who will triumph in Turkey as F1 heads back to Istanbul Park?

For those hunting streaks, Daniel Ricciardo ($15.8m) of McLaren is the only driver who could hit a streak this weekend as a fifth consecutive top-10 qualification could net him five extra points.

Furthermore, McLaren could get 15 extra points if both Ricciardo and Norris qualify and finish in the top 10, as the constructors are on the verge of completing a double streak in Turkey. As a result, it’s wise to pick the Woking team this weekend. Their terrific form only helps their case.

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