🔗 Share this article

Opening Notes

Philip is about to begin to take you through this day's sprint race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).

Live Feed

Formation Lap Time

The formation lap has started.

Track Information

We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula 1, David Croft reminds us.

Final Moments

The last moments has begun.

Driver Situation

One point in Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. It's improbable to interfere with Red Bull's lead driver.

Interview Updates

Sky interviewing Sky now: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.

Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, speaking with the engineer about his promotion 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 twentieth and final in the previous race, leading to an eighth-place finish in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of the first qualifying segment once more on the previous day. The team have as a result adjusted to his setup and so he begins from the pit lane.

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

Racer Statements

"We take the learning for tomorrow," states Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be a lot of that.

Team Standings

It's not all about the individual championship: The team have dominated the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position during this event. George Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.

Past Performance

Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he did the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a third consecutive win.

Sprint Race Value

Alright, just over 20 minutes to go till the short race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as a preview of what is to come, rather than highly important in its own right, with only eight points awarded to the winner. Mind you, the runner-up spot here was sufficient for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season.

Max Verstappen claimed F1 world title following Pérez crashes out of the short race.