Qatar Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Updates
Opening Notes
The author is arriving soon to guide you through today's short race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Real-Time Updates
Formation Lap Time
The warm-up lap is underway.
Track Information
We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, the commentator informs us.
Final Moments
The countdown has begun.
Racer Positions
One point in Max Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to challenge Red Bull's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky's internal discussion now: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to the team lead role.
Starting Positions
Just 16 cars on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of twentieth and final in the previous race, leading to an eighth position in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of the first qualifying segment once more on Friday. Ferrari have consequently adjusted to his setup and so he begins from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the experience for the next day," says Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect a lot of that.
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 during this event. Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Previous Results
Piastri was victorious then – as he did the previous season, as well. The driver from McLaren is going for a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, just over twenty minutes to go until the sprint race begins. Barring disaster, its main importance is as a preview of what is to come, instead of significant in its own right, with only eight points awarded to the victor. However, second place here was sufficient for Verstappen to become champion two years ago.
The driver claimed F1 world title following Pérez crashes out of the short race.
