Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Real-Time Updates
Preamble
Our correspondent is arriving soon to take you through today's short race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Real-Time Updates
Formation Lap Period
The formation lap has begun.
Track Information
We have nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, David Croft reminds us.
Final Moments
The last moments has begun.
Racer Positions
One point in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. He is unlikely to challenge the team's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky speaking with Sky currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, speaking with Adrian Newey about his promotion to the team lead role.
Grid Details
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of 20th and last in the previous race, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the main race, he did not manage to advance of the first qualifying segment again on the previous day. Ferrari have as a result made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Racer Statements
"We take the learning for the next day," states Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the drivers' title: The team have dominated the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, are aiming to seal second place this weekend. Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Past Performance
Piastri won that day – as he managed the previous season, as well. McLaren's Australian is attempting a third consecutive win.
Short Race Importance
Right, just over 20 minutes remaining till the sprint race begins. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as a preview of future events, instead of highly important in its own right, with just eight championship points available to the winner. However, second place here was sufficient for the driver to become champion two years ago.
The driver wins the championship following Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
