Qatar Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Coverage
Preamble
Our correspondent is arriving soon to guide you through today's sprint race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Current Events
Starting Lap Period
The warm-up lap is underway.
Track Information
We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, the commentator informs us.
Countdown
The countdown is underway.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Max Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. It's improbable to interfere with the team's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky's internal discussion currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, interviewing the engineer about his promotion to the team lead role.
Grid Details
There are only 16 cars on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for the driver: following his result of twentieth and final in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth position in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. The team have consequently adjusted to his setup and so he will start from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We take the learning 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 constructors' gong but the team, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, are aiming to secure the runner-up position this weekend. George Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Past Performance
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he managed the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, just over twenty minutes remaining until the short race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as an indication of future events, rather than highly important in its own right, with just eight championship points available to the winner. Mind you, second place here was enough for the driver to become champion in a prior season.
Max Verstappen claimed F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.