Qatar Short Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Live Updates
Preamble
Our correspondent is about to begin to take you through this day's sprint race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Live Feed
Warm-Up Lap Period
The starting lap is underway.
Track Information
There are nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, the commentator points out.
Final Moments
The final countdown is underway.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. It's improbable to interfere with the team's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky speaking with Sky now: the analyst is with Mercedes.
The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, speaking with the engineer about his stepping up to the team team principal.
Grid Details
Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming 20th and last in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth position in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on the previous day. Ferrari have as a result made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the pit lane.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We take the learning for tomorrow," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect plenty of learning.
Team Standings
It's not all about the drivers' title: McLaren have dominated the constructors' gong but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Antonelli will start just behind the leader.
Previous Results
Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Alright, just over twenty minutes remaining until the short race begins. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as an indication of future events, rather than highly important in its own right, with just eight championship points awarded to the victor. Mind you, second place in this race was enough for the driver to become champion two years ago.
The driver wins F1 world title following Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
