Qatar Short Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Real-Time Updates
Preamble
Our correspondent is about to begin to take you through this day's sprint race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Live Feed
Warm-Up Lap Time
The formation lap has started.
Circuit Details
There are 19 laps around the lengthiest track in F1, David Croft informs us.
Final Moments
The last moments has begun.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to mess with the team's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky currently: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, speaking with Adrian Newey about his promotion to Aston Martin lead role.
Starting Positions
There are only 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of twentieth and final in the previous race, leading to an eighth position in the grand prix, he failed to advance of Q1 once more on Friday. The team have consequently adjusted to his setup and so he will start from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We take the learning for the next day," says Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be plenty of learning.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: McLaren have dominated the team championship but the team, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, are aiming to seal second place this weekend. Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Past Performance
Piastri was victorious then – as he managed the previous season, too. McLaren's Australian is attempting a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Alright, approximately 20 minutes remaining till the sprint race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as an indication of what is to come, instead of highly important in its itself, with just eight championship points awarded to the winner. However, the runner-up spot here was sufficient for Verstappen to claim the title two years ago.
The driver wins the championship following his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
