Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Coverage
Introduction
Philip will be here shortly to cover today's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Real-Time Updates
Formation Lap Time
The formation lap has begun.
Track Information
There are 19 laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, the commentator points out.
Final Moments
The countdown is underway.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. He is unlikely to interfere with Red Bull's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky's internal discussion now: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to the team team principal.
Starting Positions
Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on the previous day. The team have as a result adjusted to his setup and so he begins from the starting area.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Racer Statements
"We take the learning for tomorrow," states Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect a lot of that.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: The team have run away with the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, are aiming to secure the runner-up position during this event. Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Past Performance
Piastri won that day – as he did last year, as well. The driver from McLaren is going for a third consecutive win.
Short Race Importance
Right, just over twenty minutes to go till the sprint race begins. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as a preview of future events, rather than significant in its itself, with only eight points awarded to the winner. However, the runner-up spot in this race was enough for Verstappen to become champion two years ago.
Max Verstappen claimed F1 world title following his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
