Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Updates
Opening Notes
Our correspondent is about to begin to guide you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Current Events
Formation Lap Period
The warm-up lap has started.
Circuit Details
There are 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, David Croft informs us.
Countdown
The final countdown is underway.
Driver Situation
One point in Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to challenge the team's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky's internal discussion currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is looking forward to the 2026 season, interviewing Adrian Newey 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 the driver: 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 again on the previous day. The team have consequently 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.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the learning for the next day," states Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: The team have run away with the team championship but the team, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position during this event. Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Antonelli will start just behind the leader.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, too. McLaren's Australian is attempting a third consecutive win.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, just over twenty minutes to go till the short race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as a preview of future events, instead of significant in its itself, with just eight championship points available to the winner. Mind you, the runner-up spot here was sufficient for Verstappen to become champion in a prior season.
Max Verstappen wins the championship following Pérez crashes out of the short race.
