Qatar Short Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Real-Time Updates
Preamble
Our correspondent is about to begin to guide you through this day's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Current Events
Starting Lap Time
The starting lap has begun.
Track Information
We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in F1, David Croft reminds us.
Countdown
The final countdown has begun.
Racer Positions
One point in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. It's improbable to challenge Red Bull's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky speaking with Sky now: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, interviewing the engineer about his promotion to the team team principal.
Grid Details
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for the driver: after coming 20th and last in the previous race, leading to an eighth position in the grand prix, he did not manage to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on the previous day. The team have as a result adjusted to his setup and so he begins from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We take the experience for the next day," states Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: McLaren have run away with the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position this weekend. Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Previous Results
Piastri was victorious then – as he managed last year, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Alright, just over 20 minutes remaining till the short race gets under way. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as a preview of future events, instead of highly important in its itself, with just eight championship points awarded to the victor. However, second place here was sufficient for the driver to claim the title two years ago.
The driver claimed F1 world title after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
