Qatar Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Updates
Preamble
The author is about to begin to guide you through this day's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Real-Time Updates
Starting Lap Period
The warm-up lap has begun.
Track Information
There are 19 laps of the longest circuit in F1, David Croft points out.
Countdown
The countdown has begun.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Verstappen's favour: his teammate Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. It's improbable to challenge Red Bull's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky's internal discussion now: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
The analyst is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, speaking with the engineer about his promotion to Aston Martin team principal.
Starting Positions
Just 16 cars on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of the first qualifying segment once more on the previous day. Ferrari have as a result adjusted to his car configuration and so he will start from the pit lane.
The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the experience for tomorrow," states Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect a lot of that.
Team Standings
It's not all about the individual championship: McLaren have dominated the constructors' gong but the team, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he managed last year, as well. The driver from McLaren is going for a third consecutive win.
Sprint Race Value
Right, just over 20 minutes to go till the short race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as an indication of future events, instead of highly important in its itself, with only eight points awarded to the winner. Mind you, second place here was enough for the driver to claim the title in a prior season.
Max Verstappen claimed the championship following Pérez crashes out of the short race.
