Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Coverage
Opening Notes
Our correspondent is arriving soon to take you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Live Feed
Starting Lap Time
The warm-up lap is underway.
Track Information
We have 19 laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, David Croft points out.
Final Moments
The countdown is on.
Driver Situation
One point in Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. He is unlikely to mess with Red Bull's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky speaking with Sky currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, speaking with Adrian Newey about his stepping up to the team team principal.
Starting Positions
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, leading to an eighth position in the main race, he did not manage to advance of Q1 once more on the previous day. Ferrari have as a result made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the learning for tomorrow," says Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: The team have run away with the constructors' gong but Mercedes, 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 start just behind the leader.
Past Performance
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he managed last year, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a third consecutive win.
Short Race Importance
Right, just over 20 minutes remaining until the sprint race begins. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as an indication of what is to come, instead of highly important in its itself, with only eight points available to the winner. Mind you, the runner-up spot here was sufficient for the driver to become champion in a prior season.
The driver wins F1 world title following his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
