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Preamble

The author will be here shortly to guide you through this day's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).

Real-Time Updates

Formation Lap Time

The formation lap has started.

Circuit Details

There are 19 laps around the lengthiest track in F1, the commentator informs us.

Countdown

The countdown is underway.

Racer Positions

One point in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. He is unlikely to mess with the team's main man.

Media Conversations

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

Karun Chandhok is looking forward to the 2026 season, speaking with the engineer about his promotion to the team lead role.

Grid Details

Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of twentieth and final in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth-place finish in the main race, he failed to make it out of Q1 again on the previous day. The team have as a result made changes to his car configuration and so he will start from the starting area.

Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.

Driver Comments

"We'll use the experience for tomorrow," says Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect a lot of that.

Constructors' Championship

The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: The team have dominated the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, are aiming to seal second place this weekend. Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.

Past Performance

Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.

Sprint Race Value

Right, just over 20 minutes remaining until the sprint race begins. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value 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 in this race was enough for Verstappen to become champion in a prior season.

The driver claimed F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.