Qatar Short Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Live Coverage
Opening Notes
Our correspondent is about to begin to guide you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Real-Time Updates
Formation Lap Period
The warm-up lap has begun.
Circuit Details
There are nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in F1, the commentator informs us.
Countdown
The last moments is underway.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Max Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. It's improbable to interfere with Red Bull's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky speaking with Sky now: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, interviewing the engineer about his promotion to Aston Martin team principal.
Grid Details
Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session 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 the first qualifying segment again on the previous day. The team have consequently made changes to his setup and so he will start from the pit lane.
The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the experience for the next day," states Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect a lot of that.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: The team have dominated the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping to seal second place during this event. Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Past Performance
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, just over 20 minutes remaining until the short race begins. Barring disaster, its main importance is as an indication of future events, rather than highly important in its own right, with only eight points available to the winner. Mind you, second place here was enough for the driver to become champion two years ago.
Max Verstappen wins the championship after Pérez crashes out of the short race.
