Qatar Sprint Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Live Updates
Opening Notes
Our correspondent is arriving soon to guide you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Real-Time Updates
Starting Lap Time
The warm-up lap has started.
Circuit Details
There are nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, David Croft points out.
Countdown
The final countdown is underway.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. It's improbable to mess with the team's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky's internal discussion currently: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to 2026, speaking with Adrian Newey about his stepping up to Aston Martin lead role.
Starting Positions
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to advance of Q1 once more on Friday. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his setup and so he begins from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Racer Statements
"We take the learning for the next day," states Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect a lot of that.
Team Standings
It's not all about the drivers' title: The team have run away with the team championship but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position during this event. George Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, too. McLaren's Australian is attempting a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Right, just over twenty minutes remaining until the sprint race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as an indication 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 Verstappen to become champion two years ago.
Max Verstappen wins F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
