Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Coverage
Opening Notes
Our correspondent is about to begin to take you through today's short race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Live Feed
Warm-Up Lap Time
The formation lap is underway.
Circuit Details
There are 19 laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, the commentator points out.
Final Moments
The countdown is underway.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Max Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. It's improbable to challenge the team's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky's internal discussion now: the analyst is with Mercedes.
The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing the engineer 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 the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he failed to advance of Q1 once more on Friday. Ferrari have as a result adjusted to his setup and so he begins from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We take the experience for tomorrow," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: McLaren have dominated the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position during this event. George Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Past Performance
Piastri won that day – as he managed last year, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a third consecutive win.
Short Race Importance
Right, approximately twenty minutes remaining until the sprint race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as an indication of what is to come, instead of significant in its itself, with only eight points available to the victor. However, second place in this race was sufficient for Verstappen to become champion two years ago.
Max Verstappen claimed F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of the short race.
