Qatar Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Updates
Opening Notes
Philip will be here shortly to take you through today's sprint race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Current Events
Formation Lap Period
The starting lap is underway.
Track Information
We have 19 laps around the lengthiest track in Formula 1, the commentator reminds us.
Final Moments
The last moments is underway.
Racer Positions
One point in Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. He is unlikely to challenge the team's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky's internal discussion now: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing Adrian Newey about his promotion to the team lead role.
Starting Positions
There are only 16 cars on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for the driver: following his result of twentieth and final in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth position in the grand prix, he failed to make it out of Q1 once more on Friday. The team have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the pit lane.
The team'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," states Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the individual championship: The team have run away with the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping to seal second place during this event. Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, too. McLaren's Australian is attempting a third consecutive win.
Sprint Race Value
Right, just over twenty minutes remaining until the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as an indication of future events, instead of significant in its itself, with only eight points available to the winner. Mind you, the runner-up spot in this race was enough for the driver to become champion two years ago.
The driver claimed F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
