Qatar Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Coverage
Opening Notes
Philip is arriving soon to take you through today's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Live Feed
Starting Lap Time
The starting lap is underway.
Track Information
There are 19 laps around the lengthiest track in Formula 1, the commentator informs us.
Countdown
The final countdown is on.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. It's improbable to mess with the team's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky's internal discussion currently: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to the team lead role.
Grid Details
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session 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 car configuration and so he will start from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We take the experience for tomorrow," states Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that.
Team Standings
It's not all about the individual championship: McLaren have dominated the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, will be hoping to seal second place this weekend. George Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Past Performance
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did last year, too. McLaren's Australian is attempting a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, just over twenty 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, instead of highly important in its itself, with just eight championship points awarded to the winner. Mind you, second place here was enough for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season.
The driver wins the championship following his teammate's accident of the short race.
