Qatar Sprint Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Coverage
Introduction
Philip is arriving soon to guide you through this day's short race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Live Feed
Formation Lap Period
The formation lap has started.
Circuit Details
There are nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in F1, the commentator points out.
Countdown
The last moments has begun.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. He is unlikely to challenge the team's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky currently: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his promotion to Aston Martin team principal.
Grid Details
Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming 20th and last in the previous race, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the main race, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on the previous day. Ferrari have consequently adjusted to his car configuration and so he will start from the starting area.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We take the learning for tomorrow," states Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the drivers' title: McLaren 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 assist in this goal from second place, and Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Previous Results
Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, as well. McLaren's Australian is attempting a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Right, approximately twenty minutes remaining till the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as an indication of what is to come, rather than significant in its itself, with only eight points available to the winner. However, the runner-up spot in this race was enough for the driver to claim the title in a prior season.
Max Verstappen wins F1 world title after his teammate's accident of the short race.
