Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Coverage
Opening Notes
The author is about to begin to guide you through today's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Real-Time Updates
Starting Lap Time
The warm-up lap has begun.
Track Information
We have nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, the commentator informs us.
Countdown
The last moments has begun.
Driver Situation
One point in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. It's improbable to challenge the team's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky currently: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to the 2026 season, speaking with Adrian Newey about his stepping up to Aston Martin team principal.
Grid Details
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: after coming 20th and last in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth position in the main race, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. Ferrari have as a result made changes to his setup and so he will start from the starting area.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the learning for tomorrow," says Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: McLaren have run away with the constructors' gong but the team, with a forty-point advantage 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 start just behind the leader.
Past Performance
Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, as well. The driver from McLaren is going for a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, just over 20 minutes to go till the short race begins. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as an indication of what is to come, rather than highly important in its own right, with just eight championship points available to the winner. However, second place in this race was enough for Verstappen to become champion two years ago.
Max Verstappen claimed F1 world title following Pérez crashes out of the short race.
