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Opening Notes

The author is arriving soon to guide you through today's short race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).

Current Events

Formation Lap Period

The formation lap has begun.

Track Information

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

Final Moments

The last moments is underway.

Racer Positions

An advantage in Max Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. It's improbable to mess with the team's lead driver.

Interview Updates

Sky speaking with Sky currently: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.

Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to the team team principal.

Grid Details

There are only 16 cars on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of twentieth and final in Las Vegas, 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. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the starting area.

Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair 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, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that.

Team Standings

The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: McLaren have run away with the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position this weekend. George Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Antonelli will start just behind the leader.

Past Performance

Oscar Piastri won that day – as he managed last year, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a hat-trick.

Short Race Importance

Alright, just over twenty minutes remaining until the short race begins. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as an indication of what is to come, instead of significant in its own right, with only eight points awarded to the victor. Mind you, the runner-up spot here was sufficient for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season.

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