Qatar Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Coverage
Opening Notes
Philip is arriving soon to cover this day's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Live Feed
Formation Lap Period
The formation lap has started.
Track Information
There are nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, David Croft informs us.
Final Moments
The countdown is on.
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 challenge Red Bull's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky currently: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, speaking with the engineer about his stepping up to the team lead role.
Grid Details
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth-place finish in the main race, he failed to advance of Q1 once more on the previous day. Ferrari 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 Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We take the experience for the next day," says Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be a lot of that.
Team Standings
It's not all about the drivers' title: The team have run away with the constructors' gong but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, are aiming to seal second place during this event. Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Past Performance
Piastri was victorious then – as he managed the previous season, as well. The driver from McLaren is going for a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Right, just over 20 minutes to go till the short race begins. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as a preview of future events, rather than significant in its own right, with only eight points awarded to the victor. However, the runner-up spot here was enough for Verstappen to claim the title two years ago.
The driver claimed the championship after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
