Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Updates
Introduction
Philip will be here shortly to take you through today's short race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Live Feed
Formation Lap Period
The warm-up lap is underway.
Circuit Details
There are nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, David Croft reminds us.
Final Moments
The last moments has begun.
Racer Positions
One point in Max Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. It's improbable to interfere with the team's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky's internal discussion currently: the analyst is with Mercedes.
The analyst is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, interviewing the engineer about his promotion to Aston Martin team principal.
Starting Positions
Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for the driver: following his result of twentieth and final in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he did not manage to advance of Q1 once more on the previous day. Ferrari have as a result adjusted to his car configuration and so he begins from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the learning for the next day," states Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: McLaren have run away with the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position this weekend. Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Past Performance
Piastri won that day – as he managed last year, as well. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Alright, just over 20 minutes remaining till the short race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as a preview of future events, rather than significant in its own right, with just eight championship points awarded to the victor. Mind you, the runner-up spot in this race was sufficient for the driver to claim the title in a prior season.
Max Verstappen claimed the championship after his teammate's accident of the short race.
