Qatar Short Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Live Updates
Opening Notes
Our correspondent is arriving soon to cover today's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Live Feed
Starting Lap Time
The warm-up lap has begun.
Circuit Details
There are 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, David Croft points out.
Countdown
The last moments has begun.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Max Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. He is unlikely to challenge Red Bull's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to 2026, speaking with Adrian Newey about his promotion to Aston Martin lead role.
Starting Positions
Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for the driver: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, leading to an eighth position in the main race, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment once more on the previous day. The team have as a result adjusted to his setup and so he will start from the starting area.
The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We take the learning for tomorrow," states Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the drivers' title: McLaren have dominated the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, are aiming to secure the runner-up position this weekend. George Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Past Performance
Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, as well. The driver from McLaren is attempting a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Right, approximately 20 minutes to go till the short race begins. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as a preview of what is to come, instead of significant in its itself, with only eight points available to the victor. Mind you, the runner-up spot here was enough for the driver to claim the title in a prior season.
Max Verstappen claimed F1 world title after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
