Qatar Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Real-Time Updates
Introduction
Philip will be here shortly to guide you through this day's short race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Live Feed
Starting Lap Period
The warm-up lap has begun.
Track Information
We have nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, David Croft informs us.
Final Moments
The last moments has begun.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. He is unlikely to interfere with Red Bull's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky's internal discussion currently: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is looking forward to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to the team team principal.
Starting Positions
Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of twentieth and final in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth position in the grand prix, he failed to advance of Q1 once more on the previous day. The team have as a result adjusted to his car configuration and so he begins from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the experience for the next day," states Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: McLaren have dominated the constructors' gong but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, are aiming to seal second place during this event. Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Past Performance
Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, as well. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Right, approximately twenty minutes to go till the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as a preview of what is to come, instead of significant in its itself, with only eight points awarded to the winner. However, the runner-up spot in this race was enough for Verstappen to become champion two years ago.
The driver claimed F1 world title following Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
