Qatar Short Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Live Coverage

Opening Notes

Our correspondent will be here shortly to guide you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).

Real-Time Updates

Starting Lap Time

The formation lap has started.

Circuit Details

We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in F1, David Croft points out.

Final Moments

The countdown is on.

Driver Situation

An advantage in Verstappen's favour: his teammate Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. He is unlikely to challenge the team's lead driver.

Media Conversations

Sky speaking with Sky now: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.

Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up 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, leading to an eighth-place finish in the main race, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment once more on Friday. The team have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he will start from the starting area.

The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.

Racer Statements

"We'll use the experience for the next day," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be plenty of learning.

Team Standings

It's not all about 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 secure the runner-up position during this event. Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.

Previous Results

Piastri won that day – as he did last year, too. McLaren's Australian is attempting a hat-trick.

Sprint Race Value

Alright, approximately 20 minutes to go until 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 itself, with just eight championship points available to the victor. However, second place here was enough for Verstappen to become champion in a prior season.

Max Verstappen wins F1 world title following Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.