Qatar Sprint Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Updates
Preamble
Philip will be here shortly to guide you through this day's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Current Events
Starting Lap Period
The formation lap has begun.
Circuit Details
There are nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in F1, David Croft informs us.
Countdown
The last moments is underway.
Racer Positions
One point in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. He is unlikely to challenge the team's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky currently: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
The analyst is looking forward to the 2026 season, speaking with the engineer about his stepping up to the team team principal.
Starting Positions
There are only 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for the driver: following his result of 20th and last in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the main race, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment 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 Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the learning for the next day," states Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the individual championship: The team have dominated the team championship but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, are aiming to secure the runner-up position this weekend. Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Previous Results
Piastri was victorious then – as he managed the previous season, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Right, just over twenty minutes remaining till the short race gets under way. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as an indication of what is to come, rather than highly important in its itself, with only eight points awarded to the winner. However, second place here was sufficient for Verstappen to become champion two years ago.
Max Verstappen wins the championship after his teammate's accident of the short race.
