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Lorraine McKenna

  1. Team radio - Verstappen to Red Bull

    "I'm constantly jumping, not only bouncing."

  2. Lap 9/19

    Max Verstappen is now highlighting bouncing and jumping from his Red Bull. The Dutchman is still in fourth place but his initial threat to Lando Norris in third has faded slightly. Oscar Piastri, meanwhile, is clocking fastest laps in the lead and is looking good for the full eight-point prize.

  3. Lap 8/19

    Outside of the points places and a DRS train is causing frustrations for the midfield drivers. Carlos Sainz is in the final points spot but a piece of his car has just gone flying onto the track.

    Carlos Sainz and Isack HadjarGetty Images

  4. Get Involved

    Max Verstappen is head and shoulders ahead of the rest of the drivers on the grid. His ability to extract maximum performance, from an underperforming car with a plethora of issues, is unmatched. He should be nowhere near this Championship battle, but yet, here he is…

    Andrew

  5. 'A small mistake can really cost you'

    Marc Priestley
    Former F1 mechanic on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    This is a circuit that bites you if you get it wrong, a small mistake can really cost you.

  6. Lap 7/19

    The Red Bull team radio is crackling, so Max Verstappen and his engineer haven't got crystal clear communication. Oscar Piastri is looking in control out in front, on for his third consecurive Qatar sprint victory.

  7. Lap 6/19

    Every point counts this weekend and those two places gained for Max Verstappen will be crucial for his title ambitions. The Dutchman is gaining on championship leader Lando Norris, who has dropped back slightly on second-placed George Russell.

  8. Jennie Gow
    F1 pit-lane reporter at Lusail Circuit

    Let's hope that Max Verstappen isn't able to perform the impossible because this year he seems to be able to do everything that is impossible, including closing that gap to Lando Norris and equalling Oscar Piastri in the standings.

  9. Lap 5/19

    The start replay shows Max Verstappen weaving his way through the pack to jump up to fourth place from his qualifying position of sixth. Oscar Piastri made a clean getaway and is now 1.2 seconds clear of the Mercedes of George Russell.

  10. Lap 4/19

    Oscar Piastri and George Russell are leading the way, as McLaren team-mate Lando Norris and four-time world champion Max Verstappen grapple for third place. The Dutchman has just clocked the fastest lap of this sprint race but he's on the radio to say the bouncing is back.

    Lando Norris ahead of Max VerstappenGetty Images

  11. 'Interesting test for Verstappen and Red Bull'

    Marc Priestley
    Former F1 mechanic on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Max Verstappen has been struggling all the way through the Friday, so this is going to be a really interesting test.

    Although it's in a race situation, rather than the shorter runs he did in practice and in qualifying, this will be an interesting test on how that Red Bull is performing on this track.

  12. Verstappen tries a move

    Lap 3/19

    Max Verstappen is powering towards championhip leader Lando Norris. The Dutchman tries to catch the Briton out with a move early on lap three but the McLaren stahs ahead. That Red Bull isn't bouncing like an idiot today.

    Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, went wide in the openinmg lap and has tumbled down the order to 13th place from ninth spot.

    Lando Norris ahead of Max VerstappenGetty Images

  13. Marc Priestley
    Former F1 mechanic on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Max Verstappen as we predicted now makes his way past Yuki Tsunoda. No heroics from the top three, I thought George Russell was going to get a little bit more aggressive.

  14. Piastri leads

    Lap 2/19

    Oscar Piastri leads George Russell by 1.2 seconds, as Lando Norris now has Max Verstappen for company with DRS enabled. Carlos Sainz and Kimi Antonelli are in the final two points places, with fernando Alonso dropping from fourth to sixth place.

    Oscar PiastriGetty Images

  15. Get Involved

    Hopefully a new English World Champion by the end of the weekend! Go Lando!

    Mark

    Lando NorrisGetty Images

  16. Marc Priestley
    Former F1 mechanic on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    I think the race is going to settle very quickly into a status quo. The real opportunity for everybody is going down into Turn One and particularly on this opening lap.

  17. Go! Go! Go!

    Lap 1/19

    And they're off!

    Oscar Piastri makes a great start and he's leading the field out of the first corner. Max Verstappen has picked off both team-mate Yuki Tsunoda and Fernando Alonso and is up to fourth place. Spaniard Alonso is down to sixth.

    Race startGetty Images

  18. Lando Norris is 24 points ahead of Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen as we get ready for this sprint race. He can't win the title tonight, but he can become champion tomorrow if he picks up two more points than his rivals across the weekend.

    The pit-lane starters take their positions. Here we go...

  19. Marc Priestley
    Former F1 mechanic on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Lando Norris doesn't need to win this sprint, he has got to have the big picture in mind here.

    All he needs to do is not fall too far behind his team-mate Oscar Piastri.

    He has a sizeable points advantage, he can play the game sensibly.

  20. Formation lap

    The medium tyre is bolted on for Oscar Piastri and George Russell but it looks like Max Verstappen is also a yellow-tyre runner, which is not what the official site is saying. Lando Norris has opted for the hard tyre in Qatar, we think.

    Lance Stroll, Lewis Hamilton, Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the pit lane but remember, you don't need to make a pit stop during this 19-lap race - it goes by way too quick.