Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Updates

Opening Notes

The author is about to begin to cover today's short race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (6pm).

Real-Time Updates

Formation Lap Period

The warm-up lap is underway.

Track Information

There are nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in F1, David Croft points out.

Countdown

The countdown is underway.

Racer Positions

One point in Max Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. It's improbable to interfere with Red Bull's lead driver.

Interview Updates

Sky speaking with Sky currently: the analyst is with Mercedes.

The analyst is looking forward to the 2026 season, speaking with the engineer about his stepping up to the team lead role.

Starting Positions

Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. Ferrari have as a result adjusted to his setup and so he will start from the starting area.

Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.

Driver Comments

"We'll use the experience for the next day," says Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that.

Constructors' Championship

It's not all about the drivers' title: The team have dominated the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position this weekend. Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Antonelli will start just behind the leader.

Previous Results

Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a third consecutive win.

Short Race Importance

Right, just over twenty minutes to go until the sprint race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as a preview of what is to come, instead of highly important in its itself, with only eight points awarded to the winner. However, second place here was enough for Verstappen to claim the title two years ago.

The driver wins the championship following Pérez crashes out of the short race.