Qatar Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Coverage
Preamble
The author is about to begin to cover today's sprint race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Current Events
Warm-Up Lap Time
The starting lap has started.
Circuit Details
We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, the commentator points out.
Final Moments
The final countdown is on.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Max Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. He is unlikely to interfere with the team's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky now: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing Adrian Newey about his promotion to Aston Martin lead role.
Starting Positions
Just 16 cars on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming 20th and last in the previous race, leading to an eighth position in the grand prix, he failed to make it out of Q1 again on Friday. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he will start from the pit lane.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We take the learning for tomorrow," says Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: McLaren have run away with the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position during this event. Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Previous Results
Piastri won that day – as he managed the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Alright, just over 20 minutes remaining till the short race begins. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as a preview of what is to come, instead of significant in its itself, with only eight points available to the winner. However, second place in this race was sufficient for Verstappen to claim the title two years ago.
The driver wins the championship after Pérez crashes out of the short race.
