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Preamble

Our correspondent is arriving soon to take you through this day's sprint race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).

Real-Time Updates

Formation Lap Time

The warm-up lap is underway.

Track Information

There are nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in F1, the commentator points out.

Countdown

The last moments is on.

Driver Situation

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

Media Conversations

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

Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, interviewing the engineer about his promotion to the team lead role.

Starting Positions

There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for the driver: following his result of twentieth and final in the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the grand prix, he did not manage to make it out of the first qualifying segment once more on Friday. The team have as a result adjusted to his setup and so he will start from the pit lane.

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

Driver Comments

"We take the learning for the next day," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be 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 secure the runner-up position this weekend. George Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.

Past Performance

Piastri won that day – as he managed last year, too. McLaren's Australian is attempting a third consecutive win.

Sprint Race Value

Right, approximately 20 minutes remaining till the short race begins. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as a preview of what is to come, rather than significant in its itself, with just eight championship points available to the winner. However, second place in this race was sufficient for the driver to claim the title in a prior season.

Max Verstappen wins the championship after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.