Qatar Sprint Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Coverage
Opening Notes
The author is arriving soon to guide you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Real-Time Updates
Warm-Up Lap Time
The warm-up lap has begun.
Circuit Details
There are 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, David Croft reminds us.
Final Moments
The final countdown has begun.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Max Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. It's improbable to interfere with the team's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky's internal discussion currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to 2026, speaking with 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: following his result of 20th and last in the previous race, leading to an eighth position in the grand prix, he did not manage to make it out of Q1 once more on Friday. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We take the experience for tomorrow," states Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: The team have dominated the team championship but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, will be hoping to seal second place during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind the leader.
Past Performance
Piastri won that day – as he managed the previous season, as well. The driver from McLaren is going for a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Alright, approximately twenty minutes remaining until the sprint race begins. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as a preview of future events, rather than highly important in its itself, with just eight championship points awarded to the winner. Mind you, the runner-up spot in this race was sufficient for the driver to become champion two years ago.
Max Verstappen wins the championship after his teammate's accident of the short race.
