Qatar Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Updates

Opening Notes

Our correspondent is arriving soon to take you through this day's short race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).

Live Feed

Formation Lap Time

The warm-up lap is underway.

Track Information

We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, the commentator points out.

Final Moments

The last moments has begun.

Driver Situation

One point in Max Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. He is unlikely to challenge Red Bull's lead driver.

Interview Updates

Sky speaking with Sky now: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.

Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to the team team principal.

Starting Positions

There are only 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming 20th and last in the previous race, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the main race, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment once more on the previous day. The team have as a result adjusted to his setup and so he will start from the pit lane.

The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.

Racer Statements

"We take the learning for tomorrow," states Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect a lot of that.

Team Standings

It's not all about the drivers' title: McLaren have run away with the constructors' gong but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, will be hoping to seal second place this weekend. Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.

Previous Results

Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did last year, as well. McLaren's Australian is attempting a hat-trick.

Sprint Race Value

Right, approximately twenty minutes to go until the sprint race begins. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as a preview of future events, instead of highly important in its own right, with just eight championship points available to the victor. Mind you, the runner-up spot here was enough for the driver to claim the title two years ago.