Qatar's Short Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Live Updates
Opening Notes
Philip is about to begin to take you through today's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Live Feed
Starting Lap Period
The starting lap has begun.
Track Information
We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in F1, the commentator reminds us.
Countdown
The last moments is underway.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Max Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. It's improbable to challenge the team's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky now: the analyst is with Mercedes.
The analyst is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, interviewing Adrian Newey about his promotion to the team lead role.
Starting Positions
Just 16 cars on the grid. It was another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth position in the grand prix, he failed to make it out of Q1 again on Friday. The team have as a result adjusted to his car configuration and so he begins from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We take the experience for the next day," says Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: McLaren have run away with the team championship but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position this weekend. Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind the leader.
Previous Results
Piastri was victorious then – as he managed the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a third consecutive win.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, approximately twenty minutes remaining till the short race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as an indication of what is to come, rather than significant in its own right, with only eight points awarded to the victor. However, second place in this race was enough for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season.
The driver claimed F1 world title following Pérez crashes out of the short race.
