Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Updates
Introduction
Our correspondent is about to begin to take you through this day's sprint race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Live Feed
Formation Lap Time
The formation lap is underway.
Circuit Details
We have nineteen laps of the longest circuit in F1, David Croft reminds us.
Final Moments
The countdown is underway.
Racer Positions
One point in Max Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. He is unlikely to challenge Red Bull's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky speaking with Sky now: the analyst is with Mercedes.
The analyst is looking forward to 2026, speaking with Adrian Newey about his stepping up to the team lead role.
Grid Details
Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for the driver: following his result of 20th and last in the previous race, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he did not manage to make it out of Q1 once more on the previous day. Ferrari have as a result made changes to his setup and so he begins from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the learning for the next day," states Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect plenty of learning.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: The team have dominated the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, are aiming to seal second place this weekend. Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Past Performance
Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is attempting a third consecutive win.
Short Race Importance
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, rather than highly important in its own right, with just eight championship points available to the victor. Mind you, the runner-up spot in this race was sufficient for Verstappen to claim the title two years ago.
Max Verstappen wins F1 world title following Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
