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Preamble

Our correspondent is arriving soon to cover today's short race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (6pm).

Current Events

Starting Lap Time

The starting lap has started.

Circuit Details

We have nineteen laps of the longest circuit in F1, David Croft reminds us.

Final Moments

The last moments is underway.

Racer Positions

An advantage in Max Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. It's improbable to mess with Red Bull's lead driver.

Media Conversations

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

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

Starting Positions

There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of 20th and last in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the main race, he failed to advance of the first qualifying segment once more on Friday. The team have as a result made changes to his setup and so he begins from the pit lane.

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

Driver Comments

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

Team Standings

The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: The team have dominated the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, are aiming to seal second place this weekend. Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind the leader.

Previous Results

Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he did the previous season, as well. The driver from McLaren is attempting a third consecutive win.

Short Race Importance

Alright, approximately twenty minutes to go until the short race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as a preview of what is to come, instead of significant in its own right, with just eight championship points available to the victor. Mind you, second place here was enough for the driver to claim the title in a prior season.

Max Verstappen wins the championship after his teammate's accident of the short race.