Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Updates
Opening Notes
Philip is arriving soon to guide you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Current Events
Formation Lap Time
The warm-up lap has begun.
Track Information
We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula 1, the commentator reminds us.
Countdown
The countdown has begun.
Driver Situation
One point in Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. It's improbable to mess with the team's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky's internal discussion currently: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to 2026, speaking with Adrian Newey about his promotion to Aston Martin team principal.
Starting Positions
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the main race, he failed to advance of Q1 again on the previous day. Ferrari have as a result adjusted to his setup and so he will start from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the experience for the next day," states Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: McLaren have run away with the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, are aiming to secure the runner-up position this weekend. Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Previous Results
Piastri was victorious then – as he did the previous season, too. McLaren's Australian is attempting a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Right, just over 20 minutes remaining until the sprint race begins. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as a preview of what is to come, rather than highly important in its itself, with only eight points awarded to the winner. Mind you, second place here was enough for the driver to become champion two years ago.
The driver wins F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of the short race.
