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Introduction

Philip is about to begin to take you through today's short race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (6pm).

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Warm-Up Lap Period

The warm-up lap has started.

Circuit Details

There are nineteen laps of the longest circuit in F1, David Croft reminds us.

Countdown

The last moments has begun.

Driver Situation

An advantage in Max Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. It's improbable to mess with the team's main man.

Media Conversations

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

The analyst is looking forward to the 2026 season, speaking with the engineer about his stepping up to the team team principal.

Starting Positions

There are only 16 cars on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for the driver: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the main race, he did not manage to advance of Q1 once more on the previous day. The team have consequently adjusted to his setup and so he will start from the starting area.

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

Driver Comments

"We'll use the learning for tomorrow," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect 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 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 the front row, and Antonelli will start just behind the leader.

Past Performance

Piastri won that day – as he managed the previous season, as well. The driver from McLaren is attempting a hat-trick.

Short Race Importance

Alright, approximately twenty minutes to go till the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as a preview of what is to come, rather than highly important in its itself, with just eight championship points awarded to the winner. Mind you, the runner-up spot here was enough for the driver to claim the title in a prior season.

The driver claimed F1 world title after his teammate's accident of the short race.