Qatar Short Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Live Updates
Preamble
The author will be here shortly to guide you through today's short race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Real-Time Updates
Formation Lap Period
The warm-up lap is underway.
Circuit Details
We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, David Croft reminds us.
Final Moments
The final countdown is on.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. He is unlikely to mess with the team's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky speaking with Sky now: the analyst is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing Adrian Newey about his stepping up to the team team principal.
Starting Positions
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: after coming 20th and last in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the main race, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on the previous day. The team have as a result made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the learning for the next day," says Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. 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 Red Bull, are aiming to secure the runner-up position this weekend. Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Past Performance
Piastri won that day – as he managed last year, too. The driver from McLaren is attempting a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, just over 20 minutes remaining till the short race begins. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value 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 in this race was enough for Verstappen to become champion in a prior season.
Max Verstappen claimed the championship following his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
