Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Real-Time Updates
Introduction
Philip is about to begin to take you through this day's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Real-Time Updates
Warm-Up Lap Period
The warm-up lap has started.
Circuit Details
We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, the commentator reminds us.
Final Moments
The countdown is underway.
Racer Positions
One point in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. He is unlikely to interfere with the team's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky now: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing Adrian Newey about his stepping up to Aston Martin lead role.
Starting Positions
Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for the driver: after coming 20th and last in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth-place finish in the main race, he failed to advance of Q1 once more on Friday. The team have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he will start from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We take the experience for the next day," states Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: McLaren have dominated the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, are aiming to seal second place this weekend. George Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Past Performance
Piastri was victorious then – as he managed last year, as well. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Alright, approximately twenty minutes remaining till the short race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as a preview of future events, instead of significant in its own right, with just eight championship points available to the winner. However, second place in this race was sufficient for Verstappen to become champion two years ago.
The driver claimed the championship following his teammate's accident of the short race.
