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Opening Notes

Philip will be here shortly to take you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (6pm).

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Starting Lap Period

The warm-up lap has started.

Circuit Details

There are nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, the commentator informs us.

Final Moments

The last moments has begun.

Racer Positions

An advantage in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. It's improbable to interfere with the team's lead driver.

Media Conversations

Sky's internal discussion now: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.

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

Starting Positions

Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for the driver: following his result of twentieth and final in the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the grand prix, he failed to advance of Q1 once more on Friday. Ferrari have as a result made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the pit lane.

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

Racer Statements

"We take the learning for tomorrow," says Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect plenty of learning.

Team Standings

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 their rivals, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position this weekend. Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.

Previous Results

Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he did last year, as well. The driver from McLaren is going for a third consecutive win.

Short Race Importance

Right, approximately twenty minutes to go till the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as a preview of future events, instead of highly important in its own right, with only eight points available to the winner. Mind you, the runner-up spot in this race was sufficient for the driver to become champion in a prior season.

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