Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Updates
Introduction
Our correspondent is about to begin to guide you through today's short race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Current Events
Formation Lap Period
The warm-up lap has begun.
Track Information
There are nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, David Croft informs us.
Final Moments
The countdown is on.
Driver Situation
One point in Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. It's improbable to challenge the team's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky speaking with Sky now: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to 2026, speaking with the engineer about his promotion to the team team principal.
Starting Positions
Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming 20th and last in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment once more on Friday. The team have consequently made changes to his setup and so he begins from the pit lane.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We take the experience for tomorrow," says Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: The team have run away with the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position during this event. Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Past Performance
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he did last year, as well. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, just over twenty minutes remaining until the sprint race begins. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as a preview of future events, instead of highly important in its itself, with only eight points available to the victor. Mind you, second place in this race was enough for Verstappen to become champion in a prior season.
Max Verstappen wins the championship following his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
