Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Updates
Introduction
Philip will be here shortly to cover this day's short race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Current Events
Formation Lap Time
The warm-up lap is underway.
Circuit Details
We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, David Croft points out.
Countdown
The final countdown is underway.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. It's improbable to challenge Red Bull's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky now: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
The analyst is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, speaking with the engineer about his promotion to the team team principal.
Grid Details
Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for the driver: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, leading to an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to advance of Q1 once more on the previous day. Ferrari have consequently adjusted to his setup and so he begins from the pit lane.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We take the learning for tomorrow," says Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the individual championship: McLaren have run away with the team championship but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, will be hoping to seal second place this weekend. Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Past Performance
Piastri was victorious then – as he did last year, too. The driver from McLaren is attempting a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Right, approximately twenty minutes to go till the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as an indication of what is to come, instead of highly important in its itself, with just eight championship points awarded to the victor. However, the runner-up spot here was sufficient for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season.
The driver claimed F1 world title after his teammate's accident of the short race.
