Qatar Short Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Live Coverage
Opening Notes
Our correspondent is about to begin to guide you through today's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Live Feed
Warm-Up Lap Period
The formation lap is underway.
Track Information
There are nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in F1, the commentator points out.
Countdown
The final countdown is on.
Driver Situation
One point in Max Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. He is unlikely to challenge the team's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to 2026, speaking with the engineer about his promotion to Aston Martin lead role.
Starting Positions
Just 16 cars on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for the driver: after coming 20th and last in the previous race, leading to an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to advance of the first qualifying segment once more on Friday. The team have as a result adjusted to his car configuration and so he will start from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Racer Statements
"We take the learning for the next day," states Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect plenty of learning.
Team Standings
It's not all about the drivers' title: McLaren have dominated the constructors' gong but the team, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, are aiming to secure the runner-up position this weekend. Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Previous Results
Piastri was victorious then – as he managed last year, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Alright, approximately twenty minutes remaining until the sprint race gets under way. 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 available to the victor. However, second place in this race was sufficient for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season.
Max Verstappen claimed the championship after Pérez crashes out of the short race.