Qatar Sprint Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Coverage
Opening Notes
Philip will be here shortly to take you through today's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Current Events
Starting Lap Time
The starting lap has started.
Track Information
We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in F1, David Croft informs us.
Countdown
The countdown is on.
Racer Positions
One point in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to challenge the team's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky's internal discussion now: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to the 2026 season, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to the team team principal.
Starting Positions
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another poor grid-setting session for the driver: following his result of 20th and last in the previous race, leading to an eighth position in the main race, he failed to make it out of Q1 once more on Friday. The team have as a result made changes to his car configuration 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 starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the experience for the next day," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect a lot of that.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: The team have dominated the team championship but the team, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, are aiming to seal second place this weekend. Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Previous Results
Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Right, approximately twenty minutes remaining until the sprint race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as an indication of what is to come, instead of highly important in its own right, with just eight championship points awarded to the victor. Mind you, the runner-up spot in this race was sufficient for Verstappen to claim the title two years ago.
Max Verstappen wins the championship after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
