Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Coverage
Preamble
Our correspondent is about to begin to cover this day's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Current Events
Warm-Up Lap Period
The starting lap has started.
Circuit Details
There are nineteen laps of the longest circuit in F1, the commentator reminds us.
Final Moments
The final countdown has begun.
Driver Situation
One point in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. He is unlikely to challenge Red Bull's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky speaking with Sky now: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his promotion to Aston Martin team principal.
Grid Details
Just 16 cars on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for the driver: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. Ferrari have consequently adjusted to his setup and so he will start from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the experience for the next day," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be a lot of that.
Team Standings
It's not all about the individual championship: The team have run away with the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position this weekend. Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Antonelli will start just behind the leader.
Past Performance
Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is attempting a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Right, approximately twenty minutes remaining until the short race begins. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as an indication of future events, rather than highly important in its itself, with just eight championship points available to the winner. Mind you, second place here was enough for the driver to become champion two years ago.
The driver claimed F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of the short race.
