Qatar Sprint Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Updates
Opening Notes
Philip will be here shortly to cover today's short race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Current Events
Warm-Up Lap Time
The starting lap has begun.
Circuit Details
We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, David Croft points out.
Countdown
The final countdown is underway.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Max Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. It's improbable to challenge Red Bull's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky currently: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to 2026, speaking with the engineer about his stepping up 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 the previous race, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to advance of Q1 once more on the previous day. The team have as a result adjusted to his setup and so he begins from the pit lane.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We take the learning for tomorrow," says Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: The team have dominated the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, are aiming to seal second place this weekend. George Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he did the previous season, as well. The driver from McLaren is attempting a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Alright, approximately 20 minutes remaining till the sprint race begins. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as an indication of future events, rather than significant in its own right, with just eight championship points awarded to the victor. However, the runner-up spot here was sufficient for the driver to become champion two years ago.
The driver wins the championship after Pérez crashes out of the short race.
