Qatar Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Updates
Opening Notes
Philip will be here shortly to guide you through today's sprint race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Current Events
Warm-Up Lap Period
The starting lap has started.
Track Information
We have nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, the commentator informs us.
Countdown
The last moments is on.
Racer Positions
One point in Verstappen's favour: his teammate Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. He is unlikely to challenge the team's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky currently: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, speaking with Adrian Newey about his promotion to the team team principal.
Grid Details
There are only 16 cars on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for the driver: after coming 20th and last in the previous race, leading to an eighth-place finish in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of Q1 once more on Friday. The team have consequently adjusted to his setup and so he begins from the starting area.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Racer Statements
"We take the experience for the next day," states Hadjar, starting eleventh. 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 40-point lead over their rivals, will be hoping to seal second place during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Past Performance
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did last year, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Right, just over 20 minutes to go until the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as a preview of what is to come, rather than highly important in its own right, with just eight championship points awarded to the victor. However, the runner-up spot in this race was sufficient for Verstappen to become champion in a prior season.
The driver wins F1 world title after his teammate's accident of the short race.
