Qatar Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Real-Time Coverage
Opening Notes
Our correspondent will be here shortly to guide you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Current Events
Warm-Up Lap Period
The starting lap is underway.
Circuit Details
We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in F1, David Croft reminds us.
Final Moments
The countdown is on.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. It's improbable to challenge Red Bull's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky currently: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, speaking with the engineer about his promotion to Aston Martin lead role.
Starting Positions
Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another poor grid-setting session for the driver: after coming 20th and last in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth position in the main race, he failed to make it out of Q1 again on Friday. Ferrari have as a result made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the pit lane.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We take the experience for tomorrow," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the individual championship: The team have run away with the team championship but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, are aiming to seal second place during this event. Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he managed the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is attempting a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Alright, just over 20 minutes to go till the short race begins. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as a preview of what is to come, rather than highly important in its own right, with only eight points available to the winner. However, second place here was sufficient for the driver to claim the title in a prior season.
The driver claimed the championship following Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
