Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Updates
Opening Notes
The author is arriving soon to take you through today's sprint race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Real-Time Updates
Formation Lap Time
The warm-up lap has begun.
Circuit Details
We have 19 laps around the lengthiest track in F1, David Croft informs us.
Countdown
The final countdown is on.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Max Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. It's improbable to challenge Red Bull's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky's internal discussion currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to Aston Martin team principal.
Starting Positions
Just 16 cars on the grid. It was another poor grid-setting session for the driver: after coming twentieth and final in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of the first qualifying segment once more on the previous day. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he will start from the pit lane.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We take the experience for the next day," says Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: The team 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 help them achieve that from the front row, and Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Past Performance
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, as well. The driver from McLaren is going for a third consecutive win.
Sprint Race Value
Right, just over 20 minutes remaining till the sprint race begins. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as an indication of what is to come, rather than highly important in its own right, with just eight championship points awarded to the victor. However, the runner-up spot here was enough for the driver to become champion in a prior season.
The driver claimed the championship after his teammate's accident of the short race.
