Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Real-Time Coverage
Preamble
The author is arriving soon to take you through this day's sprint race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Real-Time Updates
Starting Lap Period
The formation lap has started.
Circuit Details
We have nineteen laps of the longest circuit in F1, David Croft reminds us.
Countdown
The last moments has begun.
Racer Positions
One point in Max Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to challenge Red Bull's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky's internal discussion currently: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing Adrian Newey about his stepping up to Aston Martin team principal.
Starting Positions
Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for the driver: following his result of twentieth and final in the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the grand prix, he failed to advance of the first qualifying segment once more on Friday. Ferrari have as a result adjusted to his car configuration and so he begins from the pit lane.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the learning for the next day," says Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect plenty of learning.
Team Standings
It's not all about the individual championship: McLaren have run away with the constructors' gong but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, are aiming to seal second place during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind the leader.
Past Performance
Piastri was victorious then – as he did the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is attempting a third consecutive win.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, just over 20 minutes remaining until the sprint race begins. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as a preview of what is to come, instead of highly important in its own right, with just eight championship points available to the winner. Mind you, second place in this race was enough for the driver to claim the title in a prior season.
The driver claimed the championship following his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
