The author is arriving soon to cover this day's short race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
The formation lap has begun.
We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in F1, the commentator reminds us.
The last moments is underway.
An advantage in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. It's improbable to mess with Red Bull's main man.
Sky's internal discussion now: the analyst is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to the 2026 season, interviewing the engineer about his promotion to the team lead role.
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he failed to make it out of Q1 once more on Friday. The team have consequently adjusted to his car configuration and so he will start from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
"We'll use the experience for the next day," states Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be plenty of learning.
It's not all about the drivers' title: The team have dominated the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping to seal second place during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind the leader.
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he managed the previous season, too. McLaren's Australian is attempting a hat-trick.
Right, just over 20 minutes to go until the sprint race begins. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as a preview of future events, rather than significant in its own right, with only eight 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.
Max Verstappen claimed the championship after his teammate's accident of the short race.
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