Qatar Sprint Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Real-Time Coverage
Preamble
Our correspondent will be here shortly to take you through today's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Real-Time Updates
Warm-Up Lap Period
The formation lap is underway.
Track Information
There are 19 laps around the lengthiest track in F1, David Croft reminds us.
Final Moments
The countdown is on.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. It's improbable to mess with the team's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky currently: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is looking forward to the 2026 season, speaking with the engineer about his stepping up to Aston Martin lead role.
Starting Positions
Just 16 cars on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for the driver: following his result of twentieth and final in the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the grand prix, he failed to make it out of Q1 again on the previous day. The team have as a result made changes to his car configuration and so he will start from the pit lane.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We take the experience for the next day," states Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect plenty of learning.
Team Standings
It's not all about the drivers' title: McLaren have dominated the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, will be hoping to seal second place during this event. Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Past Performance
Piastri was victorious then – as he managed last year, too. McLaren's Australian is attempting a third consecutive win.
Short Race Importance
Right, approximately 20 minutes to go till the short race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as a preview of what is to come, instead of highly important in its own right, with only eight points awarded to the winner. However, the runner-up spot here was enough for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season.
Max Verstappen claimed the championship after Pérez crashes out of the short race.
