Qatar Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Coverage
Preamble
The author is arriving soon to guide you through today's short race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Current Events
Warm-Up Lap Time
The starting lap has begun.
Track Information
There are 19 laps around the lengthiest track in Formula 1, David Croft informs us.
Countdown
The countdown is underway.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Max Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. He is unlikely to mess with the team's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky currently: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
The analyst is looking forward to the 2026 season, speaking with the engineer about his promotion 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 the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. The team have as a result made changes to his setup and so he begins from the starting area.
The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the learning for tomorrow," says Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect plenty of learning.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: The team have dominated the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping to seal second place during this event. Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Past Performance
Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Right, approximately 20 minutes to go until the sprint race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as an indication of future events, instead of significant in its itself, with only eight points available to the winner. However, second place in this race was sufficient for Verstappen to become champion in a prior season.
The driver wins the championship following Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
