Qatar Short Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Real-Time Updates
Introduction
Our correspondent is about to begin to guide you through today's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Live Feed
Starting Lap Time
The formation lap is underway.
Circuit Details
There are 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, David Croft reminds us.
Final Moments
The last moments is underway.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. He is unlikely to mess with the team's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky now: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to Aston Martin team principal.
Starting Positions
There are only 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for the driver: following his result of twentieth and final in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he failed to advance of Q1 once more on the previous day. The team have consequently adjusted to his setup and so he begins from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the learning for tomorrow," states Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the individual championship: The team have dominated the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position during this event. George Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he managed last year, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Right, approximately twenty minutes to go until the short race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as a preview of future events, rather than significant 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 in a prior season.
Max Verstappen claimed F1 world title following his teammate's accident of the short race.