Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Coverage
Opening Notes
The author will be here shortly to guide you through today's short race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Live Feed
Formation Lap Time
The warm-up lap has begun.
Track Information
We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, David Croft informs us.
Final Moments
The final countdown is on.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to challenge the team's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky's internal discussion currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is looking forward to the 2026 season, interviewing Adrian Newey 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 position in the grand prix, he failed to advance of Q1 once more on Friday. The team have as a result made changes to his setup and so he begins from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the learning for tomorrow," states Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: McLaren have dominated the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, are aiming to seal second place during this event. Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he did the previous season, as well. The driver from McLaren is going for a third consecutive win.
Short Race Importance
Alright, just over twenty minutes to go until the short race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as a preview of future events, instead of highly important in its own right, with only eight points available to the victor. However, second place in this race was sufficient for the driver to become champion in a prior season.
The driver wins F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
