British drivers have dominated the sprint races so far this season, with two previous edition being won by Lewis Hamilton (China) and Lando Norris (Miami), but the chances of that run being extended this morning are not high. Norris will start third on the grid, behind teammate Oscar Piastri, who is on pole, and Max Verstappen. Norris has a very slim chance of pulling level with Piastri at the top of the drivers’ standings qualifying should he overcome the odds, win the sprint and see Piatri fail to score. In all likelihood, Piastri will start this afternoon’s qualifying with a small increase in his lead there.

Hamilton is all the way down in 18th after an error in sprint qualifying yesterday saw him fail to make it out of the first session. Oliver Bearman, who qualified in seventh for Haas, has a better chance of extending the British run of sprint winners this season than the Ferrari driver.

The sprint race has had little correlation with either qualifying or the Grand Prix winner this season, so trying to read too much into it is misguided but hopefully it’s a nice little amuse-bouche to the action to come. What was clear from yesterday’s qualifying is that the McLaren are quickest on the corners, with Piastri and Norris ahead of Verstappen in the bendy sector two, so if the Briton can find a bit more speed in the straighter sections he has every chance of bettering the Red Bull.

That said, it could well be that we have a 15-laps of smoke and mirrors. We’ll find out soon.

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Бельгия Спорт

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