Qatar Short Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Live Updates
Opening Notes
Our correspondent will be here shortly to cover today's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Real-Time Updates
Formation Lap Time
The warm-up lap has started.
Track Information
There are nineteen laps of the longest circuit in F1, David Croft informs us.
Countdown
The last moments has begun.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Max Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. He is unlikely to mess with the team's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky currently: the analyst is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to the 2026 season, speaking with the engineer about his stepping up to Aston Martin team principal.
Starting Positions
Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of 20th and last in the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he did not manage to advance of the first qualifying segment once more on Friday. The team have as a result made changes to his setup and so he begins from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the learning for the next day," states Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the individual championship: McLaren have dominated the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, are aiming to secure the runner-up position during this event. George Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Past Performance
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he managed the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is attempting a third consecutive win.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, approximately twenty minutes remaining until the short race begins. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as an indication of what is to come, instead of highly important in its own right, 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 wins the championship following Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
