Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Updates
Introduction
Our correspondent is arriving soon to guide you through this day's short race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Real-Time Updates
Formation Lap Period
The starting lap has begun.
Circuit Details
We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, the commentator points out.
Final Moments
The last moments is on.
Racer Positions
One point in Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to interfere with the team's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky speaking with Sky currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, speaking with Adrian Newey about his stepping up to Aston Martin team principal.
Starting Positions
There are only 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for the driver: after coming 20th and last in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth position in the grand prix, he did not manage to make it out of Q1 once more on Friday. Ferrari have as a result made changes to his car configuration and so he will start from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the experience for tomorrow," states Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
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, will be hoping to seal second place this weekend. George Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he did last year, too. McLaren's Australian is attempting a third consecutive win.
Sprint Race Value
Right, approximately twenty minutes to go until the short race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as a preview of what is to come, instead of highly important in its own right, with just eight championship points awarded to the winner. Mind you, second place here was sufficient for the driver to become champion in a prior season.
The driver claimed F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of the short race.
