Qatar's Short Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Live Updates
Introduction
Our correspondent is arriving soon to guide you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Current Events
Starting Lap Time
The starting lap has begun.
Track Information
There are nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, David Croft points out.
Countdown
The last moments is on.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Max Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. It's improbable to challenge Red Bull's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky now: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, speaking with the engineer about his stepping up to Aston Martin team principal.
Starting Positions
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for the driver: after coming 20th and last in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of the first qualifying segment again 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 Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the learning for tomorrow," says Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: The team have dominated the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, will be hoping to seal second place during this event. Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Previous Results
Piastri was victorious then – as he did the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is attempting a third consecutive win.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, approximately 20 minutes to go till the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as an indication of future events, rather than significant in its own right, with only eight points awarded to the winner. However, second place in this race was enough for Verstappen to become champion two years ago.
Max Verstappen wins F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
