Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Real-Time Updates
Preamble
Philip is arriving soon to cover today's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Live Feed
Warm-Up Lap Period
The warm-up lap has started.
Circuit Details
We have nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, David Croft points out.
Final Moments
The countdown has begun.
Driver Situation
One point in Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. It's improbable to mess with the team's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky speaking with Sky currently: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to Aston Martin team principal.
Grid Details
Just 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 position in the main race, he failed to advance of Q1 once more on Friday. The team have consequently adjusted to his car configuration and so he begins from the pit lane.
The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the learning for tomorrow," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be a lot of that.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: The team have dominated the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage 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.
Previous Results
Piastri won that day – as he managed the previous season, as well. The driver from McLaren is attempting a third consecutive win.
Short Race Importance
Alright, just over 20 minutes to go until the short race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as a preview of future events, rather than highly important in its itself, with only eight points available to the victor. However, the runner-up spot in this race was sufficient for the driver to claim the title two years ago.
Max Verstappen claimed the championship following his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
