Qatar's Short Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Live Updates
Preamble
Our correspondent will be here shortly to cover today's short race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Real-Time Updates
Formation Lap Time
The warm-up lap has started.
Circuit Details
There are nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, David Croft reminds us.
Countdown
The last moments is on.
Driver Situation
One point in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. It's improbable to mess with the team's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky speaking with Sky now: the analyst is with Mercedes.
The analyst is looking forward to 2026, speaking with the engineer about his stepping up to the team lead role.
Grid Details
Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of twentieth and final in the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he failed to advance of Q1 once more on Friday. Ferrari have as a result adjusted to his car configuration and so he will start from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the experience for the next day," says Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: McLaren have run away with the team championship but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, are aiming to secure the runner-up position this weekend. Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Past Performance
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he managed the previous season, too. McLaren's Australian is attempting a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, just over twenty minutes remaining till the short race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as an indication of what is to come, instead of significant in its own right, with just eight championship points awarded to the victor. However, the runner-up spot here was sufficient for the driver to become champion in a prior season.
Max Verstappen claimed the championship following Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
