Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Coverage
Introduction
Our correspondent is about to begin to guide you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Live Feed
Warm-Up Lap Time
The starting lap is underway.
Track Information
We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, David Croft reminds us.
Final Moments
The last moments is on.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Verstappen's favour: his teammate Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. It's improbable to mess with the team's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky speaking with Sky now: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, speaking with Adrian Newey about his stepping up to the team team principal.
Starting Positions
Just 16 cars on the grid. It was another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: after coming 20th and last in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. The team have as a result adjusted to his setup and so he will start from the starting area.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We take the experience for tomorrow," states Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the individual championship: The team have dominated the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind the leader.
Past Performance
Piastri was victorious then – as he did the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Right, just over 20 minutes remaining until the short race begins. Barring disaster, its main importance is as an indication of future events, instead of significant in its own right, with only eight points awarded to the victor. However, second place here was enough for the driver to become champion two years ago.
Max Verstappen claimed F1 world title after his teammate's accident of the short race.
