Qatar Short Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Real-Time Updates
Opening Notes
Our correspondent is about to begin to cover this day's short race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Live Feed
Formation Lap Time
The warm-up lap is underway.
Circuit Details
We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, David Croft reminds us.
Final Moments
The final countdown has begun.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to mess with Red Bull's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky speaking with Sky now: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is looking forward to 2026, speaking with Adrian Newey about his stepping up to the team team principal.
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 Las Vegas, leading to an eighth position in the grand prix, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment once more on Friday. Ferrari have as a result made changes to his setup and so he begins from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We take the learning for the next day," says Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect a lot of that.
Team Standings
It's not all about the drivers' title: McLaren have run away with the constructors' gong but the team, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position during this event. Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he managed the previous season, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Right, just over twenty minutes to go till the sprint race begins. Barring disaster, its main importance is as a preview of what is to come, rather than significant in its itself, with only eight points awarded to the victor. However, second place here was sufficient for the driver to become champion in a prior season.
The driver claimed F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of the short race.
