Qatar Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Coverage
Preamble
The author is about to begin to take you through today's sprint race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Live Feed
Formation Lap Period
The warm-up lap has begun.
Circuit Details
There are nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in F1, David Croft reminds us.
Countdown
The final countdown has begun.
Driver Situation
One point in Max Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. It's improbable to challenge Red Bull's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky speaking with Sky now: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, speaking with Adrian Newey about his promotion to Aston Martin lead role.
Grid Details
Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for the driver: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the grand prix, he failed to make it out of Q1 once more on Friday. The team have as a result made changes to his setup and so he begins from the pit lane.
The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the experience for tomorrow," states Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the individual championship: The team have dominated the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position this weekend. Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Previous Results
Piastri was victorious then – 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 short race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as a preview of future events, rather than significant in its own right, with only eight points available to the winner. Mind you, second place here was enough for Verstappen to claim the title two years ago.
The driver claimed F1 world title after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
