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Opening Notes

The author is arriving soon to guide you through today's sprint race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (6pm).

Real-Time Updates

Starting Lap Period

The formation lap has started.

Track Information

We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in F1, David Croft informs us.

Countdown

The countdown is on.

Racer Positions

An advantage in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. He is unlikely to mess with Red Bull's main man.

Interview Updates

Sky speaking with Sky currently: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.

Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, interviewing Adrian Newey about his stepping up to the team team principal.

Grid Details

There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: after coming 20th and last in the previous race, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to advance of Q1 again on the previous day. Ferrari have as a result adjusted to his setup and so he will start from the starting area.

Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.

Racer Statements

"We'll use the learning for the next day," states Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be plenty of learning.

Constructors' Championship

The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: The team have run away with the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position during this event. George Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.

Past Performance

Piastri won that day – as he managed the previous season, as well. McLaren's Australian is attempting a third consecutive win.

Short Race Importance

Right, approximately 20 minutes to go till the short race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as a preview of future events, rather than highly important in its own right, with only eight points available to the winner. However, the runner-up spot here was sufficient for the driver to claim the title in a prior season.

The driver claimed the championship following Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.