Qatar's Sprint Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Real-Time Updates
Preamble
Our correspondent is arriving soon to guide you through today's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Live Feed
Starting Lap Period
The warm-up lap is underway.
Track Information
We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, the commentator reminds us.
Final Moments
The final countdown has begun.
Racer Positions
One point in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. He is unlikely to mess with Red Bull's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky speaking with Sky currently: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, speaking with the engineer about his stepping up to the team team principal.
Starting Positions
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for the driver: following his result of 20th and last in the previous race, leading to an eighth-place finish in the main race, he did not manage to advance of Q1 once more on the previous day. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he will start from the starting area.
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," states Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect plenty of learning.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: The team have dominated the team championship but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, are aiming to secure the runner-up position during this event. Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Previous Results
Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a third consecutive win.
Short Race Importance
Right, approximately twenty minutes remaining till the short race begins. Barring disaster, its main importance is as a preview of what is to come, rather than significant in its own right, with just eight championship points available to the victor. However, second place in this race was enough for the driver to claim the title two years ago.
Max Verstappen wins the championship following his teammate's accident of the short race.
