Qatar's Sprint Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Live Updates
Preamble
Philip will be here shortly to guide you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Real-Time Updates
Starting Lap Time
The warm-up lap is underway.
Circuit Details
We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, David Croft reminds us.
Countdown
The last moments is underway.
Driver Situation
One point in Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. He is unlikely to mess with the team's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky's internal discussion now: the analyst is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, speaking with Adrian Newey about his stepping up to the team team principal.
Grid Details
There are only 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of twentieth and final in the previous race, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the main race, he failed to advance of Q1 once more on the previous day. The team have as a result adjusted to his setup and so he begins from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the learning for tomorrow," says Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: The team have dominated the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, are aiming to secure the runner-up position during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Past Performance
Piastri was victorious then – as he managed last year, too. McLaren's Australian is attempting a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, just over 20 minutes to go till the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as a preview of future events, instead of significant in its own right, with only eight points awarded to the victor. Mind you, the runner-up spot in this race was enough for the driver to claim the title two years ago.
Max Verstappen claimed the championship after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
