Qatar Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Updates
Introduction
Our correspondent is about to begin to guide you through today's sprint race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Current Events
Formation Lap Time
The starting lap is underway.
Circuit Details
There are nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, David Croft points out.
Final Moments
The countdown has begun.
Driver Situation
One point in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to challenge the team's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky now: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, speaking with the engineer about his promotion to the team team principal.
Starting Positions
Just 16 cars on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of 20th and last in the previous race, 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 Friday. The team have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the learning for the next day," states Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: McLaren have run away with the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, are aiming to secure the runner-up position during this event. Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Antonelli will start just behind the leader.
Past Performance
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he managed the previous season, as well. McLaren's Australian is attempting a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, approximately twenty minutes remaining until the short race begins. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as a preview of future events, instead of significant in its own right, with only eight points awarded to the winner. Mind you, second place in this race was sufficient for the driver to become champion in a prior season.
Max Verstappen claimed F1 world title after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
