Qatar Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Real-Time Updates
Introduction
Our correspondent will be here shortly to cover this day's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Current Events
Warm-Up Lap Period
The formation lap has started.
Track Information
We have 19 laps around the lengthiest track in Formula 1, David Croft reminds us.
Countdown
The last moments is on.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. It's improbable to challenge Red Bull's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky currently: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to the team lead role.
Starting Positions
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming 20th and last in the previous race, leading to an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to advance of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. The team have consequently made changes to his setup and so he begins from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
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 run away with the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, are aiming to seal second place this weekend. George Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Antonelli will start just behind the leader.
Past Performance
Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is attempting a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, just over twenty minutes to go until the short race begins. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as a preview of future events, rather than significant in its own right, with just eight championship points awarded to the victor. However, second place here was enough for the driver to claim the title in a prior season.
Max Verstappen claimed the championship after Pérez crashes out of the short race.
