Qatar's Short Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Real-Time Updates
Opening Notes
The author is about to begin to guide you through this day's sprint race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Current Events
Starting Lap Time
The starting lap has started.
Circuit Details
There are nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, David Croft reminds us.
Final Moments
The countdown is on.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to mess with Red Bull's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky speaking with Sky now: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is looking forward to the 2026 season, speaking with Adrian Newey about his stepping up to Aston Martin team principal.
Starting Positions
There are only 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for the driver: following his result of twentieth and final in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to advance of Q1 once more on the previous day. The team have as a result made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the starting area.
The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the learning for tomorrow," states Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the drivers' title: McLaren have run away with 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 second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Previous Results
Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, as well. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Right, approximately 20 minutes to go till the short race gets under way. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as a preview of future events, rather than significant in its itself, with only eight points awarded to the winner. Mind you, second place in this race was enough for Verstappen to become champion in a prior season.
The driver claimed the championship after Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
