Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Updates
Opening Notes
Our correspondent will be here shortly to take you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Live Feed
Formation Lap Period
The formation lap has started.
Track Information
There are nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, David Croft points out.
Final Moments
The countdown has begun.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. He is unlikely to interfere with Red Bull's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky now: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to the team team principal.
Grid Details
Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for the driver: following his result of 20th and last in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the main race, he failed to advance of the first qualifying segment once more on the previous day. The team have as a result made changes to his setup and so he will start from the pit lane.
The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the experience for tomorrow," says Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: The team have dominated the constructors' gong but the team, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, are aiming to secure the runner-up position this weekend. Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Previous Results
Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, as well. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Right, just over twenty minutes remaining till the sprint race begins. Barring disaster, its main importance is as an indication of what is to come, instead of highly important in its itself, with just eight championship points awarded to the victor. Mind you, second place here was sufficient for Verstappen to become champion two years ago.
Max Verstappen claimed the championship following his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
