Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Real-Time Coverage
Preamble
Our correspondent is arriving soon to take you through today's sprint race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Live Feed
Formation Lap Period
The warm-up lap has begun.
Track Information
We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in F1, the commentator informs us.
Countdown
The final countdown is on.
Racer Positions
One point in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to mess with Red Bull's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky now: the analyst is with Mercedes.
The analyst is looking forward to the 2026 season, speaking with the engineer about his stepping up to Aston Martin team principal.
Grid Details
Just 16 cars on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of Q1 again on the previous day. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We take the learning for tomorrow," says Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: McLaren have dominated the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, are aiming to secure the runner-up position this weekend. George Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he did the previous season, as well. McLaren's Australian is attempting a third consecutive win.
Short Race Importance
Right, just over 20 minutes to go until the sprint race begins. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as a preview of future events, instead of highly important in its own right, with only eight points awarded to the winner. However, the runner-up spot here was sufficient for Verstappen to claim the title two years ago.
The driver wins F1 world title after his teammate's accident of the short race.
