Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Coverage
Opening Notes
Philip will be here shortly to cover today's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Live Feed
Formation Lap Period
The starting lap has started.
Circuit Details
We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in F1, David Croft reminds us.
Final Moments
The final countdown is underway.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Max Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to challenge the team's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky speaking with Sky now: the analyst is with Mercedes.
The analyst is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to Aston Martin lead role.
Grid Details
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of twentieth and final in the previous race, leading to an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he did not manage to make it out of Q1 once more on Friday. The team have consequently adjusted to his setup and so he will start from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We take the experience for tomorrow," states Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be plenty of learning.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: McLaren have dominated the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Previous Results
Piastri won that day – as he did last year, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a third consecutive win.
Short Race Importance
Right, just over twenty minutes to go till the short race begins. Barring disaster, its main importance is as a preview of what is to come, rather than significant in its itself, with only eight points available to the winner. However, the runner-up spot in this race was enough for Verstappen to claim the title two years ago.
The driver wins the championship after Pérez crashes out of the short race.
