Qatar Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Coverage
Introduction
The author is arriving soon to guide you through this day's sprint race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Real-Time Updates
Formation Lap Time
The warm-up lap has started.
Track Information
We have nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, David Croft points out.
Countdown
The last moments is on.
Racer Positions
One point in Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. It's improbable to challenge Red Bull's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky now: the analyst is with Mercedes.
The analyst is looking forward to the 2026 season, speaking with the engineer about his stepping up to Aston Martin team principal.
Starting Positions
Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for the driver: following his result of twentieth and final in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth-place finish in the main race, he failed to make it out of Q1 once more on the previous day. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the starting area.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the experience for the next day," states Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect plenty of learning.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: McLaren have run away with the constructors' gong but the team, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, are aiming to secure the runner-up position during this event. Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he managed last year, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Right, approximately twenty minutes to go until the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as a preview of future events, rather than highly important in its own right, with just eight championship points available to the victor. However, the runner-up spot here was enough for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season.
Max Verstappen wins the championship after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
