Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Coverage
Preamble
Our correspondent will be here shortly to take you through this day's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Real-Time Updates
Starting Lap Period
The formation lap is underway.
Track Information
There are 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, the commentator reminds us.
Final Moments
The countdown has begun.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. He is unlikely to interfere with Red Bull's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky now: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is looking forward to the 2026 season, interviewing Adrian Newey about his promotion to the team team principal.
Starting Positions
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for the driver: following his result of twentieth and final in the previous race, leading to an eighth-place finish in the main race, he failed to make it out of Q1 once more on Friday. Ferrari have consequently adjusted 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'll use the learning for the next day," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: McLaren have dominated the constructors' gong but the team, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position during this event. George Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Past Performance
Piastri was victorious then – as he managed last year, as well. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Right, just over twenty minutes remaining till the short race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as an indication of future events, instead of highly important in its own right, with just eight championship points available to the victor. However, the runner-up spot here was enough for the driver to become champion in a prior season.
The driver claimed the championship after Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
