Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Coverage
Introduction
Our correspondent is about to begin to take you through this day's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Live Feed
Formation Lap Period
The formation lap is underway.
Track Information
We have 19 laps around the lengthiest track in F1, David Croft points out.
Final Moments
The last moments is on.
Driver Situation
One point in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. It's improbable to challenge the team's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky speaking with Sky now: the analyst is with Mercedes.
The analyst is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, speaking with Adrian Newey about his stepping up to the team lead role.
Starting Positions
There are only 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of 20th and last in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the main race, he did not manage to advance of Q1 once more on the previous day. The team have as a result adjusted to his car configuration and so he will start from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We take the learning for tomorrow," states Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect a lot of that.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: The team have run away with the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, will be hoping to seal second place during this event. George Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a third consecutive win.
Sprint Race Value
Right, just over twenty minutes to go till the short race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as an indication of what is to come, rather than significant in its own right, with only eight points awarded to the victor. However, the runner-up spot in this race was enough for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season.
Max Verstappen wins the championship after his teammate's accident of the short race.
