Qatar Sprint Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Real-Time Updates
Opening Notes
The author is about to begin to cover today's sprint race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Live Feed
Warm-Up Lap Period
The formation lap has begun.
Track Information
There are 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, David Croft reminds us.
Final Moments
The final countdown is underway.
Racer Positions
One point in Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to mess with Red Bull's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky now: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing Adrian Newey about his promotion to the team lead role.
Starting Positions
There are only 16 cars on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of 20th and last in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth-place finish in the main race, he failed to advance of Q1 once more on the previous day. The team have as a result made changes to his setup and so he begins from the pit lane.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the learning for the next day," states Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect plenty of learning.
Team Standings
It's not all about the drivers' title: The team have dominated the constructors' gong but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, will be hoping to seal second place during this event. Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Antonelli will start just behind the leader.
Past Performance
Piastri won that day – as he did last year, as well. The driver from McLaren is going for a third consecutive win.
Sprint Race Value
Right, approximately twenty minutes remaining till the short race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as a preview of what is to come, rather than significant in its itself, with just eight championship points available to the victor. However, second place in this race was enough for the driver to become champion in a prior season.
The driver claimed the championship following his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
