Qatar Sprint Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Live Coverage
Preamble
Philip will be here shortly to cover today's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Current Events
Formation Lap Period
The warm-up lap has begun.
Track Information
We have nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, the commentator reminds us.
Final Moments
The last moments is on.
Driver Situation
One point in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. It's improbable to interfere with the team's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky now: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to Aston Martin team principal.
Grid Details
There are only 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for the driver: following his result of twentieth and final in the previous race, leading to an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. The team have as a result made changes to his setup and so he will start from the pit lane.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Racer Statements
"We take the learning 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 individual championship: McLaren have dominated the team championship but the team, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, are aiming to secure the runner-up position during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Antonelli will start just behind the leader.
Past Performance
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he managed last year, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a third consecutive win.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, approximately twenty minutes remaining till the sprint race begins. Barring disaster, its main importance is as a preview of what is to come, rather than highly important in its own right, with only eight points available to the victor. However, second place in this race was sufficient for the driver to become champion in a prior season.
The driver wins the championship after Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
