Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Real-Time Coverage
Preamble
The author is about to begin to take you through today's sprint race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Live Feed
Formation Lap Time
The warm-up lap has begun.
Track Information
There are nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, David Croft informs us.
Countdown
The countdown has begun.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Max Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. He is unlikely to challenge the team's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky speaking with Sky currently: the analyst is with Mercedes.
The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing Adrian Newey about his stepping up to the team lead role.
Grid Details
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another poor grid-setting session for the driver: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he failed to make it out 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 starting area.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the learning for the next day," states Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the individual championship: The team have dominated the constructors' gong 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 second place, and Antonelli will start just behind the leader.
Previous Results
Piastri was victorious then – as he managed last year, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a third consecutive win.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, just over 20 minutes to go until the sprint race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as a preview of future events, instead of significant in its itself, with just eight championship points awarded to the winner. However, the runner-up spot here was enough for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season.
The driver claimed F1 world title after his teammate's accident of the short race.
