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Opening Notes

Philip will be here shortly to take you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).

Real-Time Updates

Starting Lap Time

The formation lap has started.

Track Information

We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula 1, the commentator informs us.

Countdown

The countdown is on.

Driver Situation

An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. He is unlikely to challenge the team's lead driver.

Interview Updates

Sky speaking with Sky currently: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.

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

Starting Positions

There are only 16 cars on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: after coming 20th and last in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth-place finish in the main race, he did not manage to advance of Q1 once more on Friday. Ferrari have as a result made changes to his car configuration and so he will start from the pit lane.

The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.

Driver Comments

"We take the experience for the next day," says Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect plenty of learning.

Constructors' Championship

The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: McLaren have dominated the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping to seal second place this weekend. George Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.

Previous Results

Piastri won that day – as he did last year, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a third consecutive win.

Short Race Importance

Right, just over 20 minutes to go until the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as a preview of what is to come, instead of highly important in its itself, with just eight championship points awarded to the victor. However, the runner-up spot here was sufficient for the driver to become champion two years ago.

The driver claimed the championship after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.