Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Coverage
Introduction
The author is arriving soon to cover today's sprint race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Current Events
Formation Lap Period
The starting lap is underway.
Circuit Details
We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, David Croft reminds us.
Countdown
The final countdown has begun.
Racer Positions
One point in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. It's improbable to challenge the team's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky speaking with Sky now: the analyst is with Mercedes.
The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to Aston Martin team principal.
Grid Details
Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the grand prix, he did not manage to make it out of Q1 again on the previous day. The team have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he will start from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the experience for the next day," states 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 dominated the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position during this event. Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Previous Results
Piastri was victorious then – as he did last year, as well. McLaren's Australian is attempting a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Right, approximately 20 minutes remaining until the sprint race begins. Barring disaster, its main importance is as a preview of what is to come, rather than significant in its itself, with only eight points available to the victor. However, the runner-up spot here was sufficient for the driver to become champion in a prior season.
The driver claimed F1 world title after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
