Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Updates
Introduction
Our correspondent is arriving soon to cover today's short race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Real-Time Updates
Warm-Up Lap Period
The formation lap is underway.
Circuit Details
We have 19 laps around the lengthiest track in F1, David Croft reminds us.
Countdown
The countdown is underway.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. It's improbable to challenge the team's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky currently: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to the team team principal.
Grid Details
Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for the driver: following his result of twentieth and final in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he did not manage to advance 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 pit lane.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We take the experience for the next day," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be a lot of that.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: McLaren 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. Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he managed last year, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a third consecutive win.
Sprint Race Value
Right, approximately 20 minutes to go till the sprint race begins. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as a preview of future events, instead of significant in its itself, with only eight points awarded to the victor. Mind you, second place in this race was enough for the driver to claim the title in a prior season.
Max Verstappen wins the championship following his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
