Qatar Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Updates

Introduction

The author will be here shortly to take you through this day's sprint race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).

Live Feed

Formation Lap Period

The warm-up lap is underway.

Track Information

We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in F1, the commentator informs us.

Final Moments

The last moments is underway.

Racer Positions

One point in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. It's improbable to interfere with Red Bull's main man.

Media Conversations

Sky's internal discussion currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.

The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, speaking with Adrian Newey about his stepping up to Aston Martin lead role.

Starting Positions

Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for the driver: after coming 20th and last in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of Q1 once more 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 Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.

Driver Comments

"We take the experience for tomorrow," states Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be a lot of that.

Team Standings

It's not all about the drivers' title: McLaren have dominated the team championship but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, are aiming to secure the runner-up position during this event. Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.

Previous Results

Piastri won that day – as he managed the previous season, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.

Short Race Importance

Right, approximately twenty minutes to go until the short race gets under way. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as a preview of future events, instead of highly important in its own right, with just eight championship points awarded to the victor. However, second place in this race was enough for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season.

The driver wins the championship following Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.