Qatar Short Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Real-Time Updates
Opening Notes
Our correspondent will be here shortly to take you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Live Feed
Warm-Up Lap Period
The warm-up lap has started.
Circuit Details
There are nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula 1, David Croft informs us.
Countdown
The countdown is underway.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. It's improbable to mess with Red Bull's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky currently: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to the team lead role.
Grid Details
Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth position in the grand prix, he failed to advance of the first qualifying segment once more on Friday. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he will start from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We take the experience for the next day," states Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that.
Team Standings
It's not all about the individual championship: McLaren have run away with the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead 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 Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Past Performance
Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, as well. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, just over twenty minutes remaining until the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as an indication of what is to come, rather than significant in its itself, with just eight championship points available to the winner. Mind you, the runner-up spot here was sufficient for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season.
Max Verstappen wins F1 world title after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
