Qatar's Sprint Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Real-Time Updates
Introduction
Philip will be here shortly to cover today's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Current Events
Starting Lap Time
The warm-up lap is underway.
Circuit Details
There are nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, David Croft informs us.
Final Moments
The countdown has begun.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. It's improbable to interfere with the team's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky's internal discussion now: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, interviewing Adrian Newey about his promotion to Aston Martin team principal.
Starting Positions
Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for the driver: after coming 20th and last in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth position in the main race, he failed to make it out 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 starting area.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the learning for tomorrow," states Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect a lot of that.
Team Standings
It's not all about the drivers' title: McLaren have run away with the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position this weekend. George Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Previous Results
Piastri won that day – as he managed last year, too. McLaren's Australian is attempting a third consecutive win.
Short Race Importance
Alright, just over twenty minutes remaining until the sprint race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as a preview of what is to come, instead of significant in its own right, with only eight points awarded to the victor. However, second place in this race was enough for Verstappen to become champion in a prior season.
Max Verstappen claimed F1 world title after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
