Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Coverage
Introduction
Our correspondent will be here shortly to guide you through this day's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Current Events
Starting Lap Time
The starting lap is underway.
Circuit Details
We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula 1, David Croft points out.
Final Moments
The countdown is underway.
Racer Positions
One point in Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to challenge the team's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, speaking with the engineer about his promotion to the team team principal.
Starting Positions
Just 16 cars on the grid. It was another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: after coming 20th and last in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the main race, he did not manage to advance of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his setup and so he begins from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We take the learning for the next day," states Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the individual championship: The team have run away with the team championship but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, are aiming to seal second place this weekend. George Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind the leader.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he managed the previous season, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Right, just over twenty minutes to go till the sprint race begins. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as a preview of what is to come, instead of highly important in its own right, with only eight points available to the winner. Mind you, the runner-up spot in this race was sufficient for Verstappen to become champion two years ago.
The driver claimed F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
