LIVE: The Sakhir Grand Prix - Can Russell continue to challenge Bottas?

At 5:10 pm [UK time] the drivers will start the Sakhir Grand Prix. On the outside track of the Bahrain International Circuit, the drivers will do 87 laps. With the long straights, there are also plenty of opportunities to overtake each other. Valtteri Bottas starts from pole with teammate for the weekend George Russell in P2. Red Bull have looked strong on the long runs and therefore Max Verstappen will be hopeful from P3. Follow all the action in the GPblog liveblog. 

Race Liveblog

Opportunities for the midfield

With small differences between them, the field will stay close together for a long time. DRS will play an important role in making overtaking moves more attractive. With George Russell and Valtteri Bottas on the front row and Max Verstappen in P3, something crazy must happen if those three don't make the podium. However, it will be exciting beyond that.

The battle for third place in the World Championship is heating up. With just the Sakhir and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix remaining, all points are crucial. McLaren currently lead the battle. Racing Point are 17 points behind, with Renault a further 10 behind the Pink Panthers. Mistakes will be punished harshly on this circuit and dealing with traffic will be crucial for a good result.

Track guide Sakhir GP

George Russell in the Mercedes

On Monday, Lewis Hamilton tested positive for COVID-19. The 2020 World Champion is therefore forced to sit on the sidelines in quarantine. It's unsure whether the Brit will make a recovery in time for the final race of the season next weekend. In the meantime, George Russell moves up to the Mercedes team and will be replacing his fellow countryman. Russell will partner up with Valtteri Bottas. 

As a result, this leaves Russell's seat at Williams available for 25-year-old Jack Aitken. He will team up with Nicholas Latifi in Bahrain this weekend. 

And Romain Grosjean will not be racing after sustaining second-degree burns to his hands in his crash on lap one of the Bahrain Grand Prix. Pietro Fittipaldi will be replacing Grosjean for the race this weekend. Fittipaldi, the grandson of two-time F1 World Champion Emerson Fittipaldi, makes his Formula 1 debut.