Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Updates
Introduction
The author is arriving soon to guide you through this day's short race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Real-Time Updates
Formation Lap Time
The starting lap has begun.
Circuit Details
There are 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, David Croft points out.
Final Moments
The last moments is underway.
Driver Situation
One point in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to mess with Red Bull's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky speaking with Sky currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, speaking with the engineer about his promotion to Aston Martin lead role.
Starting Positions
There are only 16 cars on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for the driver: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he failed to make it out of Q1 once more on the previous day. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the pit lane.
The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Racer Statements
"We take the learning for tomorrow," states Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be a lot of that.
Team Standings
It's not all about the drivers' title: McLaren have dominated the team championship but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, will be hoping to seal second place during this event. Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Previous Results
Piastri was victorious then – as he managed last year, as well. McLaren's Australian is going for a third consecutive win.
Short Race Importance
Right, approximately twenty minutes remaining till 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 itself, with only eight points available to the victor. However, second place here was enough for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season.
The driver wins the championship after Pérez crashes out of the short race.
