🔗 Share this article

Preamble

Our correspondent is arriving soon to take you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).

Current Events

Starting Lap Period

The warm-up lap is underway.

Track Information

There are nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula 1, David Croft informs us.

Final Moments

The final countdown has begun.

Driver Situation

One point in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. He is unlikely to challenge Red Bull's lead driver.

Interview Updates

Sky interviewing Sky currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.

The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing Adrian Newey about his stepping up to the team lead role.

Grid Details

There are only 16 cars on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth position in the grand prix, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. Ferrari have as a result made changes to his setup and so he will start from the pit lane.

Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.

Racer Statements

"We take the learning for tomorrow," says Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that.

Team Standings

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

Previous Results

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

Sprint Race Value

Alright, approximately 20 minutes to go until the sprint race gets under way. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as an indication of what is to come, rather than highly important in its own right, with only eight points awarded to the victor. However, second place in this race was sufficient for the driver to claim the title in a prior season.

The driver wins the championship following his teammate's accident of the short race.