Qatar's Short Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Live Updates
Introduction
Our correspondent is arriving soon to cover today's short race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Live Feed
Warm-Up Lap Period
The starting lap has started.
Circuit Details
We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in F1, the commentator reminds us.
Countdown
The last moments is underway.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to challenge Red Bull's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky now: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, speaking with the engineer about his stepping up to Aston Martin lead role.
Starting Positions
Just 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 position in the grand prix, he failed to advance of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. The team have as a result made changes to his setup and so he begins from the pit lane.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the learning for the next day," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect plenty of learning.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: The team have dominated the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping to seal second place this weekend. Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he did the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, just over twenty minutes to go until the sprint race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as a preview of future events, rather than highly important in its own right, with only eight points awarded to the winner. However, the runner-up spot in this race was enough for the driver to become champion two years ago.
Max Verstappen wins the championship after Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
