Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Updates
Opening Notes
Philip will be here shortly to take you through this day's sprint race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Live Feed
Starting Lap Time
The warm-up lap has started.
Circuit Details
There are nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, the commentator reminds us.
Countdown
The final countdown is on.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Max Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to mess with the team's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky now: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, speaking with Adrian Newey about his promotion to Aston Martin lead role.
Grid Details
Just 16 cars on the grid. It was another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of 20th and last in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he did not manage to advance of Q1 once more on the previous day. The team have as a result adjusted to his car configuration and so he will start from the pit lane.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We take the learning for the next day," says Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: McLaren have run away with the constructors' gong but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, will be hoping to seal second place during this event. George Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Past Performance
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he managed the previous season, as well. McLaren's Australian is going for a third consecutive win.
Short Race Importance
Right, approximately twenty minutes remaining until the short race begins. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as an indication of what is to come, rather than highly important in its own right, with just eight championship points available to the victor. However, the runner-up spot here was enough for Verstappen to claim the title two years ago.
Max Verstappen claimed F1 world title following Pérez crashes out of the short race.
