Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Updates
Preamble
Our correspondent will be here shortly to take you through today's short race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Current Events
Starting Lap Period
The starting lap has begun.
Circuit Details
There are 19 laps of the longest circuit in F1, the commentator reminds us.
Final Moments
The final countdown has begun.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. He is unlikely to interfere with Red Bull's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky's internal discussion now: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his promotion to the team lead role.
Starting Positions
Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for the driver: following his result of 20th and last in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he failed to advance of Q1 once more on Friday. The team have as a result made changes to his setup and so he will start from the pit lane.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the learning for tomorrow," states Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be plenty of learning.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: McLaren have run away with the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage 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 begin immediately after Verstappen.
Past Performance
Piastri won that day – as he managed the previous season, as well. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, approximately twenty minutes remaining until the sprint race begins. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as a preview of future events, instead of highly important in its itself, with only eight points available to the winner. Mind you, second place in this race was enough for the driver to claim the title two years ago.
The driver claimed F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of the short race.
