Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Updates
Introduction
Philip is arriving soon to guide you through this day's sprint race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Current Events
Formation Lap Period
The warm-up lap has started.
Track Information
We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, David Croft points out.
Countdown
The final countdown has begun.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. It's improbable to challenge Red Bull's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky speaking with Sky currently: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
The analyst is looking forward to the 2026 season, speaking with Adrian Newey about his promotion to the team lead role.
Grid Details
There are only 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of 20th and last in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth position in the grand prix, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. The team have consequently made changes to his setup and so he begins from the starting area.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We take the learning for the next day," states Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the individual championship: The team have run away with the team championship but the team, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, are aiming to secure the runner-up position during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Previous Results
Piastri won that day – as he managed last year, as well. McLaren's Australian is going for a third consecutive win.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, approximately twenty minutes to go till the short race begins. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as an indication of what is to come, rather than highly important in its own right, with just eight championship points awarded to the winner. Mind you, the runner-up spot in this race was enough for the driver to claim the title two years ago.
The driver wins F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
