Qatar's Sprint Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Live Updates
Preamble
Our correspondent will be here shortly to guide you through this day's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Real-Time Updates
Formation Lap Period
The formation lap has started.
Circuit Details
We have nineteen laps of the longest circuit in F1, the commentator points out.
Final Moments
The countdown is on.
Driver Situation
One point in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. He is unlikely to interfere with the team's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky now: the analyst is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, interviewing Adrian Newey about his promotion to the team team principal.
Grid Details
Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth position in the main race, he failed to make it out of Q1 once more on the previous day. The team have as a result adjusted to his car configuration and so he will start from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We take the experience for the next day," states Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be plenty of learning.
Team Standings
It's not all about the individual championship: The team have dominated the team championship but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, will be hoping to seal second place this weekend. Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Previous Results
Piastri won that day – as he did last year, as well. The driver from McLaren is attempting a third consecutive win.
Short Race Importance
Right, approximately twenty minutes remaining until the sprint race begins. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as a preview of what is to come, instead of highly important in its own right, with just eight championship points available to the winner. However, second place here was sufficient for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season.
Max Verstappen wins the championship following Pérez crashes out of the short race.
