Qatar's Sprint Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Live Coverage
Preamble
Our correspondent is arriving soon to take you through this day's short race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Current Events
Starting Lap Time
The formation lap is underway.
Track Information
There are 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, David Croft points out.
Final Moments
The last moments is on.
Racer Positions
One point in Max Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. It's improbable to mess with the team's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky now: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, interviewing Adrian Newey about his promotion to Aston Martin lead role.
Starting Positions
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for the driver: after coming 20th and last in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth-place finish in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on the previous day. Ferrari have consequently adjusted to his car configuration and so he begins from the pit lane.
The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Racer Statements
"We take the learning for tomorrow," says Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: McLaren have run away with the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, are aiming to secure the runner-up position during this event. Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Past Performance
Piastri was victorious then – as he managed the previous season, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Right, just over 20 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 just eight championship points awarded to the victor. However, second place in this race was enough for the driver to claim the title two years ago.
The driver claimed F1 world title after his teammate's accident of the short race.
