Qatar's Sprint Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Live Coverage
Opening Notes
Philip will be here shortly to cover today's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Current Events
Formation Lap Time
The starting lap has started.
Circuit Details
There are 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, the commentator informs us.
Countdown
The final countdown is underway.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. It's improbable to interfere with the team's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky speaking with Sky now: the analyst is with Mercedes.
The analyst is looking forward to 2026, speaking with Adrian Newey about his stepping up to Aston Martin team principal.
Starting Positions
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of 20th and last in the previous race, leading to an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to make it out of Q1 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 pair of Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We take the experience for the next day," states Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect a lot of that.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: McLaren have run away with the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, will be hoping to seal second place during this event. George Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he did last year, too. The driver from McLaren is attempting a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Right, approximately twenty minutes to go till the short race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as a preview of future events, instead of significant in its itself, with only eight points awarded to the winner. However, the runner-up spot in this race was sufficient for Verstappen to become champion in a prior season.
Max Verstappen claimed the championship following Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
