Qatar Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Real-Time Coverage
Preamble
The author is about to begin to guide you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Live Feed
Starting Lap Time
The warm-up lap is underway.
Circuit Details
There are 19 laps around the lengthiest track in Formula 1, David Croft points out.
Final Moments
The countdown is underway.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. It's improbable to mess with Red Bull's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky's internal discussion now: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, interviewing Adrian Newey about his stepping up to the team lead role.
Starting Positions
There are only 16 cars on the grid. It was another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to advance of the first qualifying segment again on the previous day. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he will start from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the experience for the next day," states Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: The team have dominated the team championship but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, are aiming to seal second place this weekend. Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Past Performance
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, as well. The driver from McLaren is attempting a third consecutive win.
Short Race Importance
Right, just over 20 minutes to go until the sprint race gets under way. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as a preview of future events, rather than highly important in its own right, with just eight championship points available to the winner. Mind you, second place here was sufficient for the driver to claim the title two years ago.
The driver wins F1 world title following PĂ©rez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
