Qatar Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Coverage

Opening Notes

Our correspondent is arriving soon to cover this day's short race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).

Real-Time Updates

Starting Lap Time

The formation lap has begun.

Circuit Details

We have nineteen laps of the longest circuit in F1, David Croft informs us.

Final Moments

The final countdown has begun.

Racer Positions

An advantage in Max Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. He is unlikely to mess with the team's main man.

Media Conversations

Sky interviewing Sky now: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.

The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his promotion to the team team principal.

Starting Positions

Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for the driver: after coming 20th and last in the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on the previous day. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his setup and so he begins from the pit lane.

Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.

Driver Comments

"We'll use the learning for the next day," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect plenty of learning.

Team Standings

The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: McLaren have run away with the team championship but the team, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position this weekend. Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Antonelli will start just behind the leader.

Previous Results

Oscar Piastri won that day – as he managed last year, too. McLaren's Australian is attempting a hat-trick.

Short Race Importance

Right, just over twenty minutes to go until the short race begins. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as a preview of future events, instead of significant in its own right, with just eight championship points awarded to the winner. Mind you, second place in this race was sufficient for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season.

The driver claimed the championship after his teammate's accident of the short race.