Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Real-Time Coverage
Opening Notes
Our correspondent is about to begin to guide you through this day's sprint race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Real-Time Updates
Warm-Up Lap Period
The starting lap is underway.
Circuit Details
We have 19 laps around the lengthiest track in F1, David Croft informs us.
Countdown
The last moments is on.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. It's improbable to mess with the team's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky now: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to 2026, speaking with the engineer about his stepping up to the team lead role.
Starting Positions
There are only 16 cars on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for the driver: after coming 20th and last in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth-place finish in the main race, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. Ferrari have consequently adjusted to his setup and so he begins from the starting area.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the experience for tomorrow," says Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect a lot of that.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: McLaren have run away with the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, are aiming to secure the runner-up position this weekend. George Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Antonelli will start just behind the leader.
Previous Results
Piastri was victorious then – as he did the previous season, as well. McLaren's Australian is attempting a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, approximately twenty minutes to go until the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as an indication of future events, rather than significant in its own right, with only eight points available to the victor. However, second place here was sufficient for the driver to claim the title two years ago.
Max Verstappen claimed the championship following Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
