Qatar Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Coverage
Preamble
Our correspondent will be here shortly to guide you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Current Events
Warm-Up Lap Time
The formation lap has started.
Circuit Details
We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, David Croft points out.
Final Moments
The countdown is on.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. He is unlikely to interfere with the team's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his promotion to Aston Martin team principal.
Grid Details
Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of twentieth and final in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth position in the main race, he did not manage to advance of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. Ferrari have as a result made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the pit lane.
The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We take the experience for tomorrow," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: The team have dominated the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, are aiming to secure the runner-up position this weekend. George Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Past Performance
Piastri was victorious then – as he did the previous season, as well. The driver from McLaren is attempting a third consecutive win.
Sprint Race Value
Right, approximately twenty minutes remaining till the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as a preview of what is to come, rather than highly important in its own right, with only eight points available to the winner. Mind you, second place here was enough for the driver to claim the title two years ago.
Max Verstappen wins the championship following his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
