Qatar Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Coverage
Preamble
The author is arriving soon to guide you through today's sprint race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Current Events
Warm-Up Lap Time
The warm-up lap has started.
Track Information
There are 19 laps around the lengthiest track in F1, the commentator reminds us.
Final Moments
The final countdown is underway.
Racer Positions
One point in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to interfere with Red Bull's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky currently: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, interviewing Adrian Newey about his stepping up to the team lead role.
Grid Details
Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for the driver: after coming 20th and last in the previous race, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he did not manage 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 begins from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Racer Statements
"We take the learning for the next day," says Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the individual championship: McLaren have dominated the constructors' gong but the team, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, are aiming to seal second place during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Past Performance
Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, as well. The driver from McLaren is going for a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Right, approximately twenty minutes to go till 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. However, the runner-up spot in this race was sufficient for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season.
The driver claimed the championship following his teammate's accident of the short race.
