Qatar Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Updates
Introduction
Our correspondent is about to begin to cover today's short race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Live Feed
Warm-Up Lap Time
The warm-up lap has begun.
Circuit Details
There are 19 laps around the lengthiest track in F1, David Croft informs us.
Countdown
The last moments is on.
Racer Positions
One point in Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. It's improbable to interfere with the team's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to the team team principal.
Starting Positions
Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he did not manage to advance of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. The team have as a result adjusted to his car configuration and so he will start from the starting area.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the experience for tomorrow," says Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: The team have dominated the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping to seal second place during this event. Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind the leader.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he did the previous season, as well. The driver from McLaren is attempting a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, approximately twenty minutes remaining until the short race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as an indication of future events, rather than highly important in its itself, with just eight championship points available to the winner. However, second place here was enough for the driver to become champion two years ago.
The driver wins F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
