MSC Cruises Gran Premio del Made in Italy e Dell'Emilia-Romagna
Location: Imola, Italy
Course: Autodromo Enzo & Dino Ferrari
Course Length: 4.91km
Laps: 63
Race Preview
Formula1 returns to Imola this week after the scheduled race last season was cancelled due to regional flooding. The venue is a historic one for the series that dates back to its first race in 1980. There have been a total of 30 Formula 1 races at the track, but this will be just the fourth since the track was removed from the schedule following its 2006 event. Max Verstappen won the last Imola race from pole, leading every lap, but last week he wasn't so fortunate. His Red Bull Racing machine showed perhaps its first signs of weakness this season as he struggled with balance throughout the Miami race weekend and suffered a heavy drop is manageability after driving through a chicane and damaging the car's floor. A Formula 1 car's floor is the most important aerodynamic device, and Verstappen suffered heavily for the mistake, falling behind Lando Norris, who moved into the lead and was gifted a free pit stop under safety car conditions from Verstappen's incident. The combination, along with some great driving, made the difference as he went on to win his first Formula 1 race. Fantasy players and fans will be anxious to see just how much McLaren's step up in performance from Miami carries through to this week's race at an entirely different type of circuit.
Key Stats at Autodromo Enzo & Dino Ferrari
- Races: 30
- Winners from pole: 10
- Winners from top-5 starters: 30
- Winners from top-10 starters: 30
- Winners from 21st or lower starters: 0
- Fastest race: 212.571kph
Previous 10 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix Winners
2022 - Max Verstappen
2021 - Max Verstappen
2020 - Lewis Hamilton
2006 - Michael Schumacher
2005 - Fernando Alonso
2004 - Michael Schumacher
2003 - Michael Schumacher
2002 - Michael Schumacher
2001 - Ralf Schumacher
2000 - Michael Schumacher
This week's race will be the 31st grand prix held at the Autodromo Enzo & Dino Ferrari. The circuit is more old-school in nature being a natural-terrain road course. The vintage feel also brings a more narrow racing surface with gravel traps lining the circuit. While changes have been made since the 1994 crashes that took the lives of Ayrton Senna and Roland Ratzenberger, the circuit retains much of its old qualities. There are elevation changes, tight chicanes, and narrow turns that snake through Italy's countryside. Verstappen has won two of the three races held since the circuit returned to the schedule in 2020, while Lewis Hamilton grabbed the first. Fernando Alonso was also a previous winner here in 2005. Throughout its history, no driver has ever started lower than fifth and won this race, and fantasy players will know that qualifying position means everything in setting the stage for Sunday's race. Pirelli will bring their softest compounds this weekend despite the track being last repaved in 2011. Most teams opted for the one-stop strategy in 2022, though some may try a two-stop attempt in order to get the freshest tires late in the race to score a point with the race's fastest lap this Sunday.
DRAFTKINGS VALUE PICKS for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
Based on Standard $50K Salary Cap
DraftKings Tier 1 Values
Max Verstappen - $16,600
Lando Norris - $10,400
Sergio Perez - $10,200
Charles Leclerc - $10,000
DraftKings Tier 2 Values
Carlos Sainz Jr. - $9,200
Oscar Piastri - $8,200
George Russell - $8,000
Lewis Hamilton - $7,400
DraftKings Tier 3 Values
Fernando Alonso - $7,200
Nico Hulkenberg - $5,000
Alex Albon - $4,400
Daniel Ricciardo - $4,000
DraftKings Constructor Values
Red Bull Racing - $14,500
Ferrari - $10,000
Aston Martin - $5,000
Formula 1 DFS Picks for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
Team Captain - Lewis Hamilton - $11,100
Carlos Sainz Jr. - $9,200
Nico Hulkenberg - $7,500
Daniel Ricciardo - $4,000
Valtteri Bottas - $3,200
Constructor - Red Bull Racing - $15,000
McLaren delivered a full set of upgrades to their car a week ago at Miami, and Mercedes hopes to emulate them with their revisions this weekend. Perhaps in best standing to benefit from those upgrades is Lewis Hamilton. The former champion is a previous Imola winner, and he outperformed teammate George Russell last time out at Miami. Choosing Hamilton isn't without risk, but given the car upgrades and news from the team that they are gaining an understanding of the car's characteristics, Hamilton may have more upside this week than the previous six races so far this season. Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jr. should also be a good roster option. Ferrari are in their home country, and Sainz has been the more productive of the team's two drivers thus far. He crashed out at the track in 2022 and has a best finish of fifth from the 2021 race. He has three podiums and a win so far this season, and could be further up the championship order had he not been forced to miss a race with appendicitis.
Plenty of news on and off track has been coming from Haas recently. Nico Hulkenberg has been racking up points, putting the team further up the midfield battle than they were the past few seasons. Hulkenberg hasn't been the source of the headlines, and as long as he continues to keep his head down and get as much out of the car as possible, he remains a good selection for fantasy players. Hulkenberg is 13th in the driver's championship, and this will be his first series race at this track. Another driver worth a look this week is Daniel Ricciardo. After a slow start to the season, Ricciardo and RB F1 Team showed some life in Miami. He was especially productive in the sprint race, and that boost along with his Imola experience could be a good combination this week. He was on the podium in this race with Renault in 2020. Finally, Valtteri Bottas in the Sauber could also have an edge this week due to his past Imola experience. While Sauber has been off the pace in 2024, Bottas knows this track well. He started from pole and finished second with Mercedes in 2020 and backed that up with a fifth-place finish in the Alfa Romeo in 2022.
As far as constructors go, Red Bull Racing is the way to go. The team's price point is less expensive than Verstappen as a driver or captain, too. Selecting the team gives fantasy players more flexibility for driver selections while still benefitting from having Verstappen's contribution along with Sergio Perez should anything happen to Max. Red Bull and Verstappen remain likely to win this week's race despite being beaten in Miami, so fantasy players will likely benefit from having Red Bull representation in their selections.
Formula 1 Betting Picks for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
Race Winner - Max Verstappen -500, Lando Norris +800, Sergio Perez +1400
Sprint Winning Constructor - Red Bull Racing -800, McLaren +600, Mercedes +3500
Podium Finish - Carlos Sainz Jr. +275, Lewis Hamilton +1100
Despite Red Bull and Max Verstappen's issues at Miami, fans should expect them to return to the top of the order this week at Imola. This type of track is vastly different than Miami's, and the problems the car suffered two weeks ago may not reappear this week. That said, anything can happen. Sergio Perez could be a good option for those willing to take a risk, and McLaren's Lando Norris could also be a lucrative choice if their car's upgrades continue to move them closer to Red Bull. For the same reasons, Red Bull Racing should be the clear favorite as constructor. However, both McLaren and Mercedes may make worthy gambles with a bigger payoff. McLaren will be in the second race of their full upgrade, while Mercedes will debut their package this week. Mercedes have indicated that they are getting to terms with this year's chassis, which suggests this week's upgrades could push them further toward the front. When looking for potential bargain wagers, don't miss the podium selections. Both Carlos Sainz Jr. and Lewis Hamilton are in positive territory and each has the potential to make their presence felt by finishing inside the top three on Sunday. Just remember, odds will change after qualifying given the importance of track position at Imola.
