Qatar's Sprint Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Live Coverage
Preamble
The author is arriving soon to take you through this day's sprint race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Real-Time Updates
Warm-Up Lap Period
The starting lap has begun.
Track Information
We have nineteen laps of the longest circuit in F1, David Croft reminds us.
Final Moments
The last moments is underway.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. He is unlikely to mess with Red Bull's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky currently: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, interviewing Adrian Newey about his stepping up to Aston Martin lead role.
Grid Details
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, leading to an eighth-place finish in the main race, he failed to advance of the first qualifying segment once more on the previous day. The team have consequently made changes to his setup and so he begins from the starting area.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Racer Statements
"We take the learning for the next day," says Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect plenty of learning.
Team Standings
It's not all about the individual championship: McLaren have dominated the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, will be hoping to seal second place during this event. Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he did last year, as well. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, approximately 20 minutes to go till the short race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as a preview of future events, rather than highly important in its itself, with just eight championship points available to the winner. Mind you, second place here was sufficient for the driver to become champion in a prior season.
The driver claimed F1 world title following his teammate's accident of the short race.
