Qatar's Sprint Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Real-Time Updates
Preamble
The author will be here shortly to take you through today's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Real-Time Updates
Starting Lap Time
The warm-up lap has begun.
Track Information
We have nineteen laps of the longest circuit in F1, the commentator informs us.
Final Moments
The last moments is underway.
Racer Positions
One point in Max Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to interfere with the team's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky currently: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing Adrian Newey about his promotion to the team team principal.
Grid Details
Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for the driver: after coming 20th and last in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he failed to make it out of Q1 once more on Friday. Ferrari have as a result made changes to his setup and so he will start from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the experience for the next day," states Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be plenty of learning.
Team Standings
It's not all about the individual championship: The team 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. Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did last year, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Right, just over 20 minutes to go until the short race gets under way. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as an indication of future events, rather than highly important in its itself, with just eight championship points awarded to the victor. However, second place in this race was sufficient for Verstappen to claim the title two years ago.
The driver wins F1 world title after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
