Qatar Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Updates
Preamble
Our correspondent is arriving soon to take you through today's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Live Feed
Starting Lap Time
The starting lap has begun.
Track Information
There are 19 laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, David Croft reminds us.
Final Moments
The last moments is on.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. It's improbable to mess with the team's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky speaking with Sky now: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, interviewing Adrian Newey about his promotion to the team team principal.
Starting Positions
Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for the driver: following his result of twentieth and final in the previous race, leading to an eighth position in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of Q1 once more on the previous day. The team have as a result made changes to his car configuration and so he will start from the pit lane.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We take the learning for tomorrow," states Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the drivers' title: McLaren have dominated the constructors' gong but the team, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, are aiming to secure the runner-up position during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind the leader.
Past Performance
Piastri won that day – as he managed the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Right, just over 20 minutes to go until the sprint race begins. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as an indication of what is to come, rather than highly important in its own right, with just eight championship points awarded to the winner. However, the runner-up spot here was sufficient for the driver to claim the title two years ago.
The driver claimed the championship following his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
