Qatar's Short Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Live Updates
Opening Notes
Philip will be here shortly to take you through today's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Real-Time Updates
Warm-Up Lap Time
The starting lap is underway.
Circuit Details
We have nineteen laps of the longest circuit in F1, David Croft points out.
Countdown
The last moments is on.
Racer Positions
One point in Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. It's improbable to mess with the team's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky's internal discussion now: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to Aston Martin lead role.
Starting Positions
Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of 20th and last in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth position in the main race, he did not manage to advance of Q1 once more on Friday. The team have as a result made changes to his car configuration and so he will start from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the experience for the next day," states Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on 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 seal second place during this event. George Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is attempting a third consecutive win.
Short Race Importance
Alright, approximately twenty minutes to go till the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as an indication of future events, instead of highly important in its itself, with just eight championship points awarded to the winner. Mind you, the runner-up spot here was enough for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season.
The driver wins F1 world title following his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
