Qatar Sprint Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Live Updates
Opening Notes
Our correspondent is arriving soon to take you through today's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Current Events
Formation Lap Time
The warm-up lap has started.
Track Information
We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, David Croft reminds us.
Countdown
The last moments has begun.
Racer Positions
One point in Max Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. It's improbable to challenge the team's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky's internal discussion currently: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his promotion to the team team principal.
Starting Positions
Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, leading to an eighth position in the grand prix, he failed to advance of the first qualifying segment once more on the previous day. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the starting area.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We take the learning for tomorrow," says Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect a lot of that.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: The team have dominated the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position this weekend. Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Antonelli will start just behind the leader.
Previous Results
Piastri was victorious then – as he did the previous season, as well. McLaren's Australian is going for a third consecutive win.
Short Race Importance
Right, just over twenty minutes to go until the sprint race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as a preview of what is to come, rather than significant in its itself, with just eight championship points awarded to the victor. However, the runner-up spot here was enough for Verstappen to claim the title two years ago.
The driver wins the championship after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
