Qatar Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Coverage
Opening Notes
Our correspondent is arriving soon to cover today's short race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Real-Time Updates
Starting Lap Time
The warm-up lap is underway.
Track Information
There are nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula 1, David Croft points out.
Countdown
The last moments has begun.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Max Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. It's improbable to challenge Red Bull's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to 2026, speaking with the engineer about his promotion to Aston Martin team principal.
Grid Details
Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for the driver: after coming twentieth and final in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he failed to advance of Q1 again on Friday. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the pit lane.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We take the learning for tomorrow," says Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: McLaren have run away with the team championship but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position this weekend. Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Past Performance
Piastri was victorious then – as he did last year, as well. McLaren's Australian is attempting a third consecutive win.
Short Race Importance
Right, approximately 20 minutes remaining till the sprint race begins. Barring disaster, its main importance is as an indication of future events, instead of highly important in its itself, with just eight championship points available to the victor. However, second place here was enough for Verstappen to become champion in a prior season.
Max Verstappen claimed F1 world title after his teammate's accident of the short race.
