🔗 Share this article

Preamble

Our correspondent will be here shortly to guide you through today's sprint race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).

Real-Time Updates

Warm-Up Lap Time

The warm-up lap has begun.

Circuit Details

There are nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, David Croft reminds us.

Countdown

The last moments is on.

Racer Positions

One point in Verstappen's favour: his teammate Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. It's improbable to challenge the team's main man.

Interview Updates

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

Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to the team team principal.

Grid Details

Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for the driver: following his result of 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 again on Friday. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he will start from the pit lane.

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

Racer Statements

"We take the experience for the next day," states Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect plenty of learning.

Team Standings

It's not all about the drivers' title: McLaren have run away with the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position this weekend. George Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.

Previous Results

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

Sprint Race Value

Right, approximately twenty minutes remaining till the sprint race begins. Barring disaster, its main importance is as a preview of what is to come, rather than highly important in its own right, with just eight championship points available to the victor. Mind you, the runner-up spot in this race was enough for the driver to claim the title two years ago.

Max Verstappen claimed the championship following his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.