Qatar Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Coverage
Preamble
Our correspondent will be here shortly to guide you through today's short race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Live Feed
Starting Lap Time
The warm-up lap has begun.
Circuit Details
We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula 1, David Croft points out.
Final Moments
The final countdown is underway.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Max Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. He is unlikely to challenge the team's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to the 2026 season, interviewing Adrian Newey about his promotion to Aston Martin lead role.
Grid Details
Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the grand prix, he failed to make it out of Q1 again on Friday. The team have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We take the learning for the next day," says Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: McLaren have dominated the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position this weekend. George Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Antonelli will start just behind the leader.
Past Performance
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he managed last year, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a third consecutive win.
Sprint Race Value
Right, just over twenty minutes to go till the short race begins. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as an indication 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 enough for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season.
The driver wins F1 world title after PĂ©rez crashes out of the short race.
