Qatar Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Coverage
Introduction
Our correspondent is arriving soon to guide you through this day's sprint race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Current Events
Warm-Up Lap Time
The warm-up lap is underway.
Circuit Details
There are nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in F1, David Croft informs us.
Countdown
The last moments is on.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to mess with the team's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky speaking with Sky currently: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to the team team principal.
Grid Details
There are only 16 cars on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for the driver: after coming 20th and last in the previous race, leading to an eighth-place finish in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of Q1 again on Friday. The team have consequently made changes to his setup and so he begins from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Racer Statements
"We take the learning for tomorrow," states Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: McLaren have run away with the constructors' gong but the team, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, are aiming to secure the runner-up position this weekend. Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Past Performance
Piastri was victorious then – as he did last year, as well. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, approximately twenty minutes remaining till the short race gets under way. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as an indication of what is to come, rather than highly important in its itself, with only eight points awarded to the victor. However, second place in this race was enough for the driver to claim the title in a prior season.
Max Verstappen wins the championship after Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
