Qatar Sprint Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Real-Time Coverage
Preamble
Philip is about to begin to take you through this day's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Live Feed
Warm-Up Lap Period
The starting lap is underway.
Track Information
We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, the commentator reminds us.
Countdown
The last moments is on.
Racer Positions
One point in Max Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to mess with the team's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky speaking with Sky currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, interviewing Adrian Newey about his promotion to Aston Martin team principal.
Starting Positions
There are only 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for the driver: following his result of 20th and last in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth-place finish in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on the previous day. Ferrari have as a result adjusted to his setup and so he begins from the starting area.
The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the experience for tomorrow," states Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be a lot of that.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: McLaren have run away with the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, are aiming 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.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he did the previous season, as well. McLaren's Australian is attempting a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, approximately twenty minutes remaining till the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as an indication of what is to come, instead of highly important in its itself, with only eight points awarded to the victor. However, the runner-up spot here was sufficient for the driver to become champion two years ago.
Max Verstappen claimed the championship following Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
