Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Coverage
Preamble
The author will be here shortly to guide you through today's sprint race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Current Events
Warm-Up Lap Time
The warm-up lap is underway.
Track Information
There are nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, the commentator reminds us.
Final Moments
The countdown is underway.
Racer Positions
One point in Max Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. He is unlikely to mess with Red Bull's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky's internal discussion currently: the analyst is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his promotion to the team team principal.
Starting Positions
Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying 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 the first qualifying segment again on the previous day. The team have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We take the experience for the next day," says Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be plenty of learning.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: McLaren have run away with the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, are aiming to secure the runner-up position during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Previous Results
Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, as well. McLaren's Australian is attempting a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Right, approximately 20 minutes remaining until the sprint race begins. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as an indication of future events, instead of highly important in its own right, with just eight championship points awarded to the winner. Mind you, the runner-up spot in this race was sufficient for the driver to become champion in a prior season.
The driver claimed the championship following Pérez crashes out of the short race.
