There is no doubt that all eyes are going to be on the first corner this afternoon.
Following Max Verstappen's silliness in Jeddah, we saw something very much similar in yesterday's Sprint.
While Oscar Piastri starts from the second row, he is alongside Kimi Antonelli, and the Italian was in no doubt following yesterday's 'incident' that he has learned from the experience.
Meanwhile, up front, Verstappen and Lando Norris already have history.
As if that wasn't enough, and while reflecting on yesterday, the second F1 Academy race has been cancelled due to "heavy rain" meaning that we look likely to experience some further mayhem over the next couple of hours.
Indeed, such are the conditions the FIA has issued a special procedure for grid/race suspension due to lighting strikes.
Based on his qualifying performance if it was dry our money would have been on Verstappen to do the business and in all honesty we see little reason to change our minds should the rain continue.
Much as we hate all the speculating, fact is the Dutchman should surely be on every team's wish list, while Red Bull appears to be going out of its way to lose him.
While the rain stops almost as abruptly as it appeared. It is widely predicted that it will return over the course of the afternoon.
Instead of the usual drivers parade, all twenty headed out in 2-seaters constructed from Lego bricks... no, is neither, but then again in view of the sport's obsession with monetisation and brands let's be grateful it wasn't a pasta eating competition.
This weekend has seen the true emergence of Antonelli who is clearly not only highly talented but appears to have both feet planted firmly on the ground, his father clearly playing a major role. However, looking at the media's obsession with exploitation - yes, we mean you Sky - can we please leave the kid alone, to find his own way. This sport is difficult enough as it is without the added pressure of constantly demanding that first podium, that first win, that first title.
Credit also to Bortoleto whose performance in the Sprint and qualifying pretty much went under the radar.
Gasly is to start from the pitlane after his car was modified under parc ferme conditions.
The Sprint was also entertaining, mainly due to the weather. The heavy rain that fell before the start meant that the Inters were the only choice. Once a dry racing line began to appear, these started to wear, especially the front right and consequently the lap times got significantly slower. The switch to slicks immediately proved to be the way to go, to the extent that eventually the entire field pitted for drys, including those at the front who had built up a good margin over their pursuers.
This could be a factor to consider today if it does rain again. In that situation, drivers will have to be very careful in managing the Inter. If the race is run in the dry, the small amount of data gathered on Friday and during qualifying, with just one free practice session and the Sprint run almost entirely in the wet, will only serve to consolidate the strategy forecasts from before the weekend. Despite the move to a trio of compounds one step softer than in 2024, the one stop is on paper, the quickest, with medium and hard as the obvious choices. Nine of the ten teams - RB being the exception - have kept two sets of C3 per driver, not necessarily with the intention of using both in the race, but to have a back-up in case of safety cars or red flags, something which is far from unlikely at this track.
The pitlane opens and the drivers begin to make their way out.
Ahead of the formation lap the air temperature is 27 degrees C, while the track temperature is 40 degrees. It is cloudy and muggy, with a 30% chance of rain.
Unfortunately we are not getting the tyre info.
Verstappen leads the field away on the formation lap. Most appear to be on mediums, though Russell is on hards, as are Hamilton, Lawson, Hulkenberg, Alonso, Bearman and Gasly.
The grid forms.
They're away! Verstappen and Norris both get away well, the Dutchman leads into Turn 1 but there's a puff of smoke as he locks-up. As he recovers Norris is alongside with Piastri on the inside of the Briton. However as they round Turn 2, Verstappen and Norris are side-by-side again as Piastri falls in behind and covers off Antonelli.
Verstappen hits the kerb on the inside of Turn 3 as Norris misses the corner completely and loses a number of positions as he rejoins. Indeed, the Briton slips to sixth.
"He pushed me off track," complains the McLaren driver. "What am I meant to do, just drive into the wall or something, I was completely alongside."
Further back, Doohan complains he has a puncture following contact with Lawson.
"I got completely hit mate," says Lawson, "I've no idea what the Alpine was doing."
Replay shows Doohan hitting the side of the RB as Lawson tried to cut across the front of him in Turn 1.
At the end of Lap 1, it's: Verstappen, Antonelli, Piastri, Russell, Albon, Norris, Sainz, Leclerc, Tsunoda and Ocon. Hamilton is twelfth.
The VSC is deployed as Doohan has stopped at Turn 12.
The VSC is withdrawn at the end of Lap 3, in no time at all Verstappen is 1.1s clear, while Piastri takes Antonelli by surprise and Norris passes Albon.
Hamilton having a nice scrap with Hadjar until the RB driver out-brakes himself.
Sainz passes his teammate, Albon losing two places in one lap.
"Possible rain in 20 laps, it will be heavy if it hits," Alonso is warned.
Verstappen have noted the Verstappen/Norris incident and that involving Doohan and Lawson.
The stewards subsequently announce that neither incident warrants further investigation.
Norris leaves Russell for dead to claim fourth, the Mercedes driver clearly struggling on his hards.
"Rain expected Lap 14," Piastri is warned. He is told that it will be heavy.
It is now Lap 8 and Norris has just passed Antonelli for third, while a spin has dropped Alonso to 18th.
Piastri is all over the back of the Red Bull.
At the start of Lap 11 Piastri is almost alongside Verstappen on the pit straight, but the Dutchman holds him off.
Sainz reports that Russell is moving under braking.
Verstappen is placing his car exactly where he needs to. "Stay on the inside, make him work for it," he is told.
In his pursuit of Verstappen, Piastri posts a new fastest lap (31.700).
"It's super slippery to drive," reports Verstappen.
Again they're side by side on the pit straight at the start of Lap 14, but Verstappen goes in to Turn 1 too deep and Piastri is through.
"******* brakes, man, useless," says the Dutchman as Norris closes in.
Norris attempts a repeat of his teammate's move, but somehow the Dutchman holds on.
"He was not ahead," says Verstappen. "All good," he is told.
Piastri is already 3.2s clear.
"Everything is everywhere, all over the shop," complains Verstappen as Piastri posts a new fastest lap (31.687).
Both drivers appear to run wide in Turn 11 on Lap 17 but Norris is through. A few corners later however, Verstappen retakes the position.
Was Norris told to hand the position back?
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