Qatar Short Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Live Coverage

Introduction

The author will be here shortly to take you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (6pm).

Current Events

Warm-Up Lap Time

The warm-up lap has begun.

Track Information

We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in F1, the commentator reminds us.

Countdown

The countdown has begun.

Racer Positions

An advantage in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. He is unlikely to challenge the team's main man.

Media Conversations

Sky speaking with Sky currently: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.

Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, interviewing the engineer about his promotion 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 20th and last in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth position in the main race, he failed to make it out of Q1 again on the previous day. The team have as a result made changes to his car configuration and so he will start from the starting area.

Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.

Driver Comments

"We take the learning for the next day," says Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect a lot of that.

Constructors' Championship

The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: The team have dominated the team championship but the team, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, are aiming to seal second place during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.

Previous Results

Piastri was victorious then – as he managed the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is attempting a third consecutive win.

Short Race Importance

Right, approximately 20 minutes remaining until the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as a preview of future events, instead of highly important in its own right, with just eight championship points awarded to the winner. However, the runner-up spot in this race was enough for Verstappen to become champion in a prior season.

The driver wins F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.