Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Updates
Introduction
Philip is arriving soon to guide you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Live Feed
Formation Lap Period
The formation lap has started.
Circuit Details
We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, the commentator informs us.
Final Moments
The countdown is underway.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Max Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. It's improbable to mess with the team's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky now: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is looking forward to the 2026 season, speaking with the engineer about his stepping up to the team team principal.
Grid Details
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of 20th and last in the previous race, leading to an eighth position in the main race, he did not manage 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.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the learning for tomorrow," states Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: McLaren have dominated the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, are aiming to seal second place this weekend. Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did last year, as well. The driver from McLaren is attempting a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Right, just over twenty minutes remaining until the short race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as a preview of what is to come, rather than significant in its itself, with only eight points available to the winner. However, second place in this race was enough for the driver to claim the title in a prior season.
The driver claimed the championship after his teammate's accident of the short race.
