Qatar Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Live Updates
Introduction
Our correspondent is arriving soon to take you through today's short race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Real-Time Updates
Starting Lap Period
The warm-up lap has started.
Track Information
There are 19 laps of the longest circuit in F1, the commentator informs us.
Countdown
The last moments has begun.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to mess with Red Bull's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky currently: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is looking forward to 2026, interviewing Adrian Newey about his promotion to the team team principal.
Starting Positions
Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for the driver: following his result of 20th and last in the previous race, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment once more on Friday. Ferrari have as a result adjusted to his setup and so he will start from the starting area.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the learning for tomorrow," states Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect plenty of learning.
Team Standings
It's not all about the individual championship: The team have dominated the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, are aiming to secure the runner-up position this weekend. George Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a third consecutive win.
Short Race Importance
Right, just over twenty 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 significant in its itself, with only eight points available to the victor. However, the runner-up spot in this race was sufficient for Verstappen to become champion in a prior season.
The driver wins F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of the short race.
