Qatar Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Updates
Opening Notes
Philip is arriving soon to take you through this day's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Current Events
Starting Lap Period
The formation lap has started.
Track Information
We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in F1, the commentator points out.
Countdown
The final countdown has begun.
Driver Situation
One point in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. It's improbable to challenge Red Bull's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky's internal discussion now: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to the 2026 season, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to the team lead role.
Starting Positions
There are only 16 cars on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of twentieth and final in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the learning for tomorrow," states Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: The team have run away with the constructors' gong but the team, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping to seal second place during this event. Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Past Performance
Piastri was victorious then – as he did last year, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, approximately twenty minutes to go until the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as an indication of what is to come, rather than highly important in its itself, with just eight championship points available to the winner. Mind you, second place here was sufficient for Verstappen to become champion two years ago.
Max Verstappen wins F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of the short race.
