Qatar Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Coverage
Opening Notes
Our correspondent will be here shortly to cover 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 19 laps around the lengthiest track in F1, the commentator reminds us.
Final Moments
The last moments is underway.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Verstappen's favour: his teammate Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. It's improbable to mess with the team's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky currently: the analyst is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, speaking with Adrian Newey about his promotion to the team lead role.
Starting Positions
There are only 16 cars on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for the driver: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he did not manage to advance of Q1 once more on Friday. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his setup and so he begins from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We take the learning for the next day," states Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be plenty of learning.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: The team have run away with the constructors' gong but the team, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, will be hoping to seal second place during this event. George Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Past Performance
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he did the previous season, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Right, just over 20 minutes remaining until the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as an indication of what is to come, rather than highly important in its own right, with only eight points awarded to the victor. Mind you, the runner-up spot here was enough for Verstappen to become champion in a prior season.
Max Verstappen claimed F1 world title following Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
