🔗 Share this article Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Qualifying: Real-Time Coverage Preamble Our correspondent is about to begin to cover this day's short race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT). Live Feed Warm-Up Lap Time The starting lap has started. Track Information There are nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in F1, the commentator informs us. Final Moments The final countdown is on. Driver Situation An advantage in Verstappen's favour: his teammate Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. He is unlikely to mess with the team's lead driver. Interview Updates Sky's internal discussion currently: the analyst is with Mercedes. The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, speaking with Adrian Newey about his stepping up to the team team principal. Grid Details Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another poor grid-setting session for the driver: following his result of twentieth and final in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the main race, he did not manage to advance of Q1 again on Friday. The team have consequently adjusted to his car configuration and so he begins from the starting area. Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise. Driver Comments "We take the learning for the next day," says Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be plenty of learning. Constructors' Championship The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: McLaren have run away with the constructors' gong but the team, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, 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 start just behind the leader. Previous Results Piastri won that day – as he managed the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a third consecutive win. Sprint Race Value Alright, just over twenty minutes remaining till the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as an indication of what is to come, instead of highly important in its itself, with just eight championship points awarded to the victor. Mind you, second place in this race was sufficient for the driver to become champion two years ago. Max Verstappen wins F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of the short race.