Qatar Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Updates

Opening Notes

Our correspondent is about to begin to guide you through today's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).

Current Events

Formation Lap Period

The formation lap has started.

Circuit Details

There are 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, David Croft points out.

Countdown

The last moments is underway.

Racer Positions

An advantage in Max Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. It's improbable to challenge the team's main man.

Media Conversations

Sky interviewing Sky currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.

The analyst is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, speaking with the engineer about his stepping up to Aston Martin team principal.

Starting Positions

There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment once more on the previous day. Ferrari have consequently adjusted to his car configuration and so he begins from the starting area.

The team'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," states Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that.

Team Standings

The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: The team have dominated the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, will be hoping to seal second place during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Antonelli will start just behind the leader.

Past Performance

Piastri won that day – as he managed last year, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a third consecutive win.

Sprint Race Value

Alright, approximately twenty minutes remaining until the short race begins. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as a preview of what is to come, 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 sufficient for Verstappen to become champion two years ago.

Max Verstappen wins the championship following Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.