Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Updates

Preamble

Philip is arriving soon to guide you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).

Live Feed

Formation Lap Period

The warm-up lap is underway.

Circuit Details

There are nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, David Croft informs us.

Final Moments

The countdown is on.

Driver Situation

An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. He is unlikely to challenge the team's main man.

Media Conversations

Sky's internal discussion now: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.

The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to Aston Martin lead role.

Starting Positions

Just 16 cars on the grid. It was another poor grid-setting session for the driver: following his result of twentieth and final in the previous race, leading to an eighth-place finish in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. Ferrari have as a result adjusted to his setup and so he begins from the pit lane.

The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.

Driver Comments

"We'll use the learning for the next day," states Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that.

Constructors' Championship

It's not all about the individual championship: The team have dominated the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, 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, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a hat-trick.

Sprint Race Value

Right, approximately 20 minutes to go till the sprint race begins. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as a preview of what is to come, instead of significant in its itself, with just eight championship points awarded to the winner. Mind you, second place here was enough for the driver to become champion in a prior season.

Max Verstappen wins F1 world title following his teammate's accident of the short race.