Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Updates
Opening Notes
Our correspondent is arriving soon to take you through today's short race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Current Events
Formation Lap Time
The starting lap is underway.
Track Information
There are 19 laps around the lengthiest track in F1, the commentator reminds us.
Final Moments
The final countdown is underway.
Driver Situation
One point in Max Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. He is unlikely to interfere with Red Bull's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky's internal discussion now: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is looking forward to 2026, interviewing Adrian Newey about his stepping up to the team team principal.
Grid Details
There are only 16 cars on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for the driver: after coming twentieth and final in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of Q1 again on Friday. The team have consequently made changes to his setup and so he will start from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We take the learning for tomorrow," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: The team 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 help them achieve that from second place, and Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he did the previous season, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a third consecutive win.
Sprint Race Value
Right, just over twenty minutes remaining till the short race begins. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as an indication of future events, instead of highly important in its itself, with just eight championship points available to the victor. Mind you, second place here was sufficient for the driver to become champion two years ago.
Max Verstappen claimed F1 world title following PĂ©rez crashes out of the short race.
