Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Coverage
Opening Notes
Philip will be here shortly to take you through this day's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Current Events
Starting Lap Time
The warm-up lap has started.
Circuit Details
We have 19 laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, the commentator reminds us.
Final Moments
The last moments is on.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Verstappen's favour: his teammate Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. He is unlikely to mess with the team's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky now: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to the 2026 season, interviewing the engineer about his promotion to Aston Martin lead role.
Grid Details
There are only 16 cars on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for the driver: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, leading to an eighth position in the main race, he failed to make it out of Q1 once more on Friday. The team have as a result adjusted to his car configuration and so he will start from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We take the learning for the next day," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be a lot of that.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: The team have dominated the team championship but the team, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Previous Results
Piastri was victorious then – as he did last year, as well. McLaren's Australian is attempting a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Right, just over twenty minutes remaining until the sprint race begins. Barring disaster, its main importance is as an indication of future events, instead of significant in its own right, with just eight championship points available to the winner. Mind you, second place in this race was sufficient for Verstappen to become champion in a prior season.
The driver wins the championship following his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
