Qatar Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Updates
Preamble
Philip is arriving soon to guide you through today's sprint race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Current Events
Starting Lap Time
The formation lap is underway.
Circuit Details
We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula 1, David Croft reminds us.
Countdown
The final countdown has begun.
Racer Positions
One point in Max Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to challenge Red Bull's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky's internal discussion now: the analyst is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, speaking with Adrian Newey about his stepping up to the team lead role.
Grid Details
Just 16 cars on the grid. It was another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth position in the grand prix, he failed to advance of the first qualifying segment once more on the previous day. The team have consequently made changes to his setup and so he will start from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We take the experience for tomorrow," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect a lot of that.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: The team have run away with the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position this weekend. George Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Past Performance
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did last year, too. McLaren's Australian is attempting a third consecutive win.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, approximately 20 minutes remaining till the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, 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 victor. Mind you, the runner-up spot in this race was enough for the driver to become champion two years ago.
The driver claimed F1 world title after his teammate's accident of the short race.
