Qatar's Sprint Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Live Updates
Preamble
The author is about to begin to cover today's short race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Current Events
Warm-Up Lap Time
The starting lap has started.
Track Information
There are 19 laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, David Croft reminds us.
Countdown
The last moments is underway.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Max Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. He is unlikely to interfere with the team's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky speaking with Sky currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, speaking with the engineer about his stepping up to the team lead role.
Starting Positions
Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for the driver: following his result of 20th and last in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the main race, he failed to advance of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he will start from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the experience for tomorrow," states Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the drivers' title: McLaren have run away with the team championship but the team, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, will be hoping to seal second place this weekend. George Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Past Performance
Piastri won that day – as he managed last year, too. McLaren's Australian is attempting a third consecutive win.
Sprint Race Value
Right, just over 20 minutes remaining until the sprint race begins. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as a preview of what is to come, 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 claim the title in a prior season.
The driver claimed F1 world title after his teammate's accident of the short race.
