Qatar Short Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Real-Time Coverage
Opening Notes
Philip will be here shortly to cover today's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Current Events
Formation Lap Time
The formation lap is underway.
Track Information
There are nineteen laps of the longest circuit in F1, David Croft reminds us.
Countdown
The last moments is underway.
Racer Positions
One point in Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. He is unlikely to mess with the team's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky currently: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, speaking with the engineer about his promotion to Aston Martin lead role.
Starting Positions
Just 16 cars on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of 20th and last in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the main race, he failed to make it out of Q1 again on Friday. Ferrari have consequently adjusted to his setup and so he will start from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Racer Statements
"We take the learning for the next day," states Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: The team have run away with the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did last year, as well. The driver from McLaren is going for a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Right, approximately twenty minutes remaining until the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as a preview of what is to come, rather than significant in its own right, with just eight championship points available to the winner. Mind you, the runner-up spot here was sufficient for the driver to become champion two years ago.
The driver wins the championship following his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
