Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Coverage
Preamble
Our correspondent is arriving soon to take you through today's short race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Current Events
Warm-Up Lap Time
The warm-up lap is underway.
Circuit Details
There are nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula 1, the commentator points out.
Final Moments
The countdown has begun.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. He is unlikely to challenge the team's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky speaking with Sky currently: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, speaking with the engineer about his promotion to Aston Martin lead role.
Grid Details
There are only 16 cars on the grid. It was another poor grid-setting session for the driver: after coming twentieth and final in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth position in the grand prix, he failed to advance of the first qualifying segment once more on the previous day. Ferrari have as a result made changes to his setup and so he begins from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the learning for the next day," says Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the individual championship: The team have dominated the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, 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 Verstappen.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he managed the previous season, as well. The driver from McLaren is attempting a third consecutive win.
Short Race Importance
Right, approximately twenty minutes remaining until the short race gets under way. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as an indication of what is to come, instead of highly important in its own right, with only eight points awarded to the winner. Mind you, second place in this race was sufficient for the driver to claim the title in a prior season.
Max Verstappen claimed the championship after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
