Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Updates
Preamble
Our correspondent is arriving soon to guide you through today's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Live Feed
Formation Lap Period
The starting lap has begun.
Track Information
We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, the commentator informs us.
Countdown
The countdown is underway.
Driver Situation
One point in Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. He is unlikely to challenge Red Bull's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky's internal discussion now: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his promotion to the team lead role.
Starting Positions
There are only 16 cars on the grid. It was another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he did not manage to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on the previous day. Ferrari 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 starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the learning for tomorrow," says Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: McLaren have run away with the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, are aiming to seal second place this weekend. George Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Previous Results
Piastri was victorious then – as he managed last year, as well. McLaren's Australian is attempting a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Alright, approximately twenty minutes to go until the short race begins. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as a preview of what is to come, instead of highly important in its own right, with just eight championship points awarded to the winner. Mind you, second place in this race was sufficient for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season.
The driver claimed F1 world title following Pérez crashes out of the short race.
