Qatar Sprint Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Updates
Introduction
Our correspondent is about to begin to guide you through this day's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Live Feed
Warm-Up Lap Time
The formation lap has begun.
Circuit Details
We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in F1, David Croft points out.
Countdown
The last moments has begun.
Driver Situation
One point in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. It's improbable to mess with the team's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky speaking with Sky currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to Aston Martin lead role.
Starting Positions
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for the driver: following his result of twentieth and final in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to advance of Q1 again on the previous day. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his setup and so he begins from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the learning for tomorrow," states Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: The team have run away with the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, are aiming to seal second place this weekend. Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Previous Results
Piastri won that day – as he managed the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is attempting a third consecutive win.
Short Race Importance
Alright, approximately twenty minutes to go till the sprint race begins. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as an indication of what is to come, rather than significant in its itself, with just eight championship points available to the winner. However, second place in this race was sufficient for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season.
Max Verstappen wins the championship following his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
