Qatar Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Coverage
Preamble
The author will be here shortly to guide you through today's short race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Live Feed
Formation Lap Period
The warm-up lap has begun.
Track Information
We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in F1, the commentator informs us.
Final Moments
The countdown is underway.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Max Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. It's improbable to interfere with the team's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky speaking with Sky now: the analyst is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to the 2026 season, interviewing Adrian Newey about his promotion to Aston Martin team principal.
Grid Details
There are only 16 cars on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of twentieth and final in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of Q1 once more on the previous day. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his setup and so he will start from the pit lane.
The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the learning for the next day," states Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the individual championship: The team have dominated the constructors' gong but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, will be hoping to seal second place this weekend. George Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind the leader.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did last year, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a third consecutive win.
Sprint Race Value
Right, just over 20 minutes to go until the short race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as a preview of what is to come, instead of significant in its itself, with just eight championship points awarded to the victor. Mind you, second place here was sufficient for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season.
Max Verstappen wins the championship after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
