Qatar Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Updates
Opening Notes
The author will be here shortly to guide you through this day's short race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Live Feed
Warm-Up Lap Time
The warm-up lap is underway.
Circuit Details
There are nineteen laps of the longest circuit in F1, David Croft reminds us.
Final Moments
The last moments is underway.
Driver Situation
One point in Max Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. He is unlikely to challenge Red Bull's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky speaking with Sky now: the analyst is with Mercedes.
The analyst is looking forward to the 2026 season, interviewing the engineer about his promotion to the team team principal.
Grid Details
Just 16 cars on the grid. It was another poor grid-setting session for the driver: after coming twentieth and final in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he did not manage to advance of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. The team have as a result made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We take the learning for tomorrow," says Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the individual championship: The team have run away with the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, are aiming to secure the runner-up position this weekend. George Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Antonelli will start just behind the leader.
Past Performance
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did last year, too. The driver from McLaren is attempting a third consecutive win.
Short Race Importance
Alright, approximately twenty minutes remaining until 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 own right, with just eight championship points available to the victor. However, second place here was sufficient for the driver to become champion in a prior season.
Max Verstappen wins F1 world title following PĂ©rez crashes out of the short race.
