Qatar Sprint Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Live Coverage
Opening Notes
Philip is arriving soon to take you through today's sprint race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Real-Time Updates
Formation Lap Time
The starting lap has started.
Track Information
There are nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in F1, the commentator reminds us.
Final Moments
The last moments is on.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. It's improbable to challenge Red Bull's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky currently: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to the 2026 season, speaking with the engineer about his stepping up to Aston Martin team principal.
Starting Positions
Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for the driver: after coming 20th and last in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his setup and so he will start from the pit lane.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We take the learning for tomorrow," states Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the individual championship: The team have dominated the constructors' gong but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, are aiming to seal second place during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Past Performance
Piastri won that day – as he managed last year, as well. McLaren's Australian is attempting a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Right, just over twenty minutes to go till the sprint race begins. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as a preview of future events, rather than significant in its own right, with only eight points awarded to the victor. Mind you, second place here was sufficient for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season.
The driver claimed F1 world title following PĂ©rez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
