Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Updates
Preamble
Philip is about to begin to take you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Real-Time Updates
Warm-Up Lap Time
The starting lap is underway.
Track Information
We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, David Croft points out.
Final Moments
The countdown has begun.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. It's improbable to interfere with Red Bull's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky speaking with Sky currently: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to the team team principal.
Starting Positions
There are only 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for the driver: after coming 20th and last in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to advance of Q1 again on Friday. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the pit lane.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We take the learning for the next day," states Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect a lot of that.
Team Standings
It's not all about the drivers' title: The team have dominated the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, are aiming to secure the runner-up position this weekend. Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Past Performance
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he managed the previous season, as well. The driver from McLaren is going for a third consecutive win.
Sprint Race Value
Right, approximately twenty minutes to go until the short race begins. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as an indication of future events, rather than highly important in its own right, with only eight points available to the victor. Mind you, second place in this race was enough for Verstappen to claim the title two years ago.
The driver wins F1 world title following his teammate's accident of the short race.
