Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Real-Time Updates
Preamble
The author will be here shortly to take you through today's sprint race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Current Events
Formation Lap Period
The formation lap is underway.
Track Information
We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in F1, David Croft informs us.
Final Moments
The last moments has begun.
Racer Positions
One point in Max Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. He is unlikely to mess with Red Bull's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky now: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to Aston Martin team principal.
Starting Positions
There are only 16 cars on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming 20th and last in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth-place finish in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of Q1 again on Friday. The team have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the starting area.
The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We take the learning for the next day," says Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: McLaren have dominated the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, will be hoping to seal second place this weekend. George Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he managed last year, as well. The driver from McLaren is attempting a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Right, approximately twenty minutes to go till the sprint race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as an indication of what is to come, instead of significant in its own right, with just eight championship points awarded to the winner. Mind you, the runner-up spot here was sufficient for Verstappen to become champion in a prior season.
Max Verstappen wins F1 world title following Pérez crashes out of the short race.
