Qatar's Short Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Live Coverage
Introduction
Our correspondent is about to begin to take you through today's short race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Live Feed
Starting Lap Time
The warm-up lap has begun.
Track Information
We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in F1, David Croft reminds us.
Countdown
The countdown has begun.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Max Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. It's improbable to mess with Red Bull's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky now: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, speaking with the engineer about his promotion to Aston Martin lead role.
Starting Positions
Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, leading to an eighth position in the main race, he failed to make it out of Q1 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 Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We take the experience for tomorrow," says Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be plenty of learning.
Team Standings
It's not all about the individual championship: The team have run away with the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, are aiming to seal second place during this event. George Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is attempting a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Right, approximately 20 minutes to go till the short race begins. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as an indication of what is to come, instead of significant in its itself, with only eight points available to the winner. Mind you, second place here was enough for Verstappen to claim the title two years ago.
Max Verstappen wins F1 world title following his teammate's accident of the short race.
