Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Real-Time Coverage
Introduction
Our correspondent will be here shortly to cover this day's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Current Events
Starting Lap Period
The formation lap is underway.
Track Information
There are nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula 1, David Croft reminds us.
Countdown
The final countdown is underway.
Racer Positions
One point in Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. It's improbable to challenge Red Bull's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky's internal discussion currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is looking forward to 2026, interviewing Adrian Newey about his promotion to the team team principal.
Starting Positions
Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for the driver: following his result of 20th and last in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth-place finish in the main race, he did not manage to advance of Q1 once more on Friday. The team have consequently adjusted to his car configuration and so he begins from the starting area.
The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We take the learning for the next day," states Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that.
Team Standings
It's not all about the drivers' title: The team have run away with the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, will be hoping to seal second place this weekend. Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he did last year, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Alright, approximately twenty minutes to go till the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as a preview of future events, instead of significant in its own right, with only eight points available to the winner. Mind you, second place in this race was sufficient for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season.
Max Verstappen claimed the championship following Pérez crashes out of the short race.
