Qatar Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Coverage
Preamble
The author is arriving soon to take you through today's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Real-Time Updates
Starting Lap Period
The warm-up lap has started.
Circuit Details
We have nineteen laps of the longest circuit in F1, the commentator points out.
Final Moments
The countdown is on.
Driver Situation
One point in Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. He is unlikely to challenge the team's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky speaking with Sky now: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to 2026, speaking with Adrian Newey about his stepping up to Aston Martin lead role.
Grid Details
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. The team have as a result made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the learning for the next day," states Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be plenty of learning.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: McLaren have dominated the constructors' gong but the team, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, are aiming to secure the runner-up position this weekend. George Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Past Performance
Piastri was victorious then – as he did last year, too. McLaren's Australian is attempting a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Right, approximately twenty minutes to go till the short race begins. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as a preview of what is to come, instead of highly important in its itself, with just eight championship points available to the winner. However, the runner-up spot in this race was enough for the driver to become champion in a prior season.
Max Verstappen claimed the championship following Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
