Qatar Sprint Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Live Updates
Preamble
Our correspondent is arriving soon to take you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Current Events
Formation Lap Period
The warm-up lap is underway.
Circuit Details
There are 19 laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, David Croft informs us.
Final Moments
The last moments has begun.
Driver Situation
One point in Max Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to interfere with the team's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky speaking with Sky now: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing Adrian Newey about his promotion to the team lead role.
Starting Positions
There are only 16 cars on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth position in the grand prix, he failed to advance of the first qualifying segment once more on Friday. The team have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he will start from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We take the experience for tomorrow," states Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the drivers' title: McLaren have dominated the team championship but the team, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, are aiming to seal second place this weekend. George Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind the leader.
Previous Results
Piastri won that day – as he managed last year, too. McLaren's Australian is attempting a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Right, just over twenty minutes remaining until the sprint race gets under way. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as an indication of what is to come, rather than significant in its itself, with just eight championship points awarded to the winner. However, second place here was enough for the driver to claim the title in a prior season.
Max Verstappen claimed the championship after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.