Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Updates
Preamble
The author is arriving soon to cover today's short race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Current Events
Warm-Up Lap Time
The warm-up lap is underway.
Track Information
We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, David Croft informs us.
Final Moments
The final countdown has begun.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. It's improbable to mess with the team's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky's internal discussion currently: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
The analyst is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, speaking with Adrian Newey about his stepping up to the team lead role.
Starting Positions
Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming 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 Friday. Ferrari have consequently adjusted to his setup and so he will start from the starting area.
The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We take the experience for the next day," says Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that.
Team Standings
It's not all about the drivers' title: The team have run away with the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping to seal second place during this event. Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Past Performance
Oscar Piastri won that day ā as he did the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is attempting a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Right, 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 highly important in its itself, with just eight championship points available to the winner. Mind you, the runner-up spot in this race was sufficient for the driver to claim the title two years ago.
Max Verstappen wins F1 world title after PĆ©rez crashes out of the short race.
