Qatar Sprint Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Live Updates
Introduction
The author is about to begin to take you through this day's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Live Feed
Formation Lap Time
The warm-up lap has started.
Circuit Details
There are 19 laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, the commentator points out.
Final Moments
The countdown has begun.
Racer Positions
One point in Max Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to mess with Red Bull's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky's internal discussion currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to the 2026 season, interviewing the engineer about his promotion to the team lead role.
Grid Details
Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for the driver: following his result of 20th and last in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth position in the grand prix, he did not manage to make it out of Q1 once more on the previous day. The team have as a result adjusted to his setup and so he begins from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the experience for the next day," states Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: The team have dominated the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, are aiming to seal second place during this event. Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Previous Results
Piastri was victorious then – as he managed last year, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a third consecutive win.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, just over twenty minutes remaining until the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as an indication of future events, instead of highly important in its itself, with just eight championship points available to the winner. Mind you, second place here was enough for Verstappen to become champion in a prior season.
Max Verstappen claimed F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of the short race.
