Qatar Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Updates
Preamble
Philip is about to begin to guide you through this day's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Live Feed
Formation Lap Period
The starting lap is underway.
Track Information
We have 19 laps around the lengthiest track in Formula 1, the commentator reminds us.
Final Moments
The last moments has begun.
Driver Situation
One point in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. He is unlikely to interfere with the team's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky now: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to the 2026 season, speaking with Adrian Newey about his promotion to the team lead role.
Grid Details
Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming 20th and last in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of Q1 once more on Friday. The team have as a result made changes to his car configuration and so he will start from the starting area.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We take the learning for the next day," says Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be plenty of learning.
Team Standings
It's not all about the individual championship: The team have run away with the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, are aiming to seal second place this weekend. Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Past Performance
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he managed last year, too. McLaren's Australian is attempting a third consecutive win.
Short Race Importance
Right, approximately twenty minutes to go until the sprint race gets under way. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as an indication of future events, rather than significant in its own right, with just eight championship points awarded to the winner. However, the runner-up spot in this race was enough for the driver to claim the title in a prior season.
Max Verstappen claimed F1 world title following his teammate's accident of the short race.
