Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Coverage
Opening Notes
Philip will be here shortly to guide you through today's sprint race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Current Events
Starting Lap Period
The formation lap has begun.
Track Information
We have 19 laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, David Croft points out.
Countdown
The final countdown is on.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. He is unlikely to mess with the team's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky's internal discussion currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his promotion to Aston Martin lead role.
Grid Details
There are only 16 cars on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of twentieth and final in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the main race, he did not manage to advance of the first qualifying segment once more on Friday. Ferrari 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 Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the experience for the next day," says Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: McLaren have run away with the constructors' gong but the team, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position this weekend. George Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Past Performance
Piastri won that day – as he managed last year, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Alright, just over twenty minutes remaining until the sprint race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as an indication of what is to come, rather than highly important in its own right, with only eight points available to the victor. However, the runner-up spot here was enough for the driver to become champion two years ago.
The driver claimed the championship following his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
