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Opening Notes

Our correspondent will be here shortly to take you through today's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).

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Starting Lap Period

The warm-up lap is underway.

Track Information

We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, the commentator points out.

Countdown

The last moments is underway.

Driver Situation

An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. It's improbable to interfere with the team's lead driver.

Interview Updates

Sky speaking with Sky now: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.

Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to the team lead role.

Starting Positions

Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to make it out of Q1 once more on the previous day. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he will start from the pit lane.

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

Racer Statements

"We take the experience for the next day," states Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be a lot of that.

Team Standings

The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: McLaren have dominated the team championship but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, are aiming to secure the runner-up position this weekend. Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.

Previous Results

Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did last year, as well. McLaren's Australian is going for a third consecutive win.

Sprint Race Value

Alright, approximately 20 minutes to go until the sprint race begins. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as an indication of future events, rather than significant in its itself, with only eight points awarded to the winner. However, second place in this race was enough for the driver to become champion in a prior season.

Max Verstappen claimed the championship following his teammate's accident of the short race.