Qatar Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Updates
Opening Notes
Philip will be here shortly to guide you through today's short race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Current Events
Warm-Up Lap Period
The warm-up lap has begun.
Circuit Details
We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, the commentator informs us.
Countdown
The final countdown is on.
Driver Situation
One point in Verstappen's favour: his teammate Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to challenge the team's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky now: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
The analyst is looking forward to the 2026 season, speaking with Adrian Newey about his stepping up to the team lead role.
Grid Details
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he did not manage to make it out of Q1 once more on Friday. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his setup and so he begins from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We take the experience for the next day," says Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be plenty of learning.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: The team have run away with the constructors' gong but the team, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position this weekend. George Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Antonelli will start just behind the leader.
Previous Results
Piastri won that day – as he did last year, as well. The driver from McLaren is attempting a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, approximately twenty minutes remaining till the sprint race begins. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as a preview of what is to come, rather than highly important in its own right, with only eight points available to the winner. However, the runner-up spot here was enough for the driver to become champion two years ago.
Max Verstappen claimed the championship after his teammate's accident of the short race.
