Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Updates
Preamble
The author is about to begin to cover today's short race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Live Feed
Starting Lap Time
The formation lap has started.
Track Information
There are nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in F1, David Croft points out.
Countdown
The countdown has begun.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Max Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. It's improbable to challenge Red Bull's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky now: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
The analyst is looking forward to the 2026 season, speaking with Adrian Newey about his promotion to the team lead role.
Starting Positions
Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, leading to an eighth position in the grand prix, he failed to make it out of Q1 again on the previous day. Ferrari have as a result adjusted to his car configuration and so he will start from the pit lane.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We take the experience for tomorrow," states Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect a lot of that.
Team Standings
It's not all about the individual championship: The team have run away with the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping 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
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he managed last year, as well. The driver from McLaren is attempting a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Right, approximately twenty minutes remaining till the sprint race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as an indication of what is to come, instead of significant in its itself, with just eight championship points available to the victor. Mind you, second place here was enough for the driver to become champion in a prior season.
The driver wins the championship following Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
