Qatar Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Real-Time Coverage
Introduction
The author will be here shortly to cover today's short race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Real-Time Updates
Warm-Up Lap Time
The starting lap has begun.
Circuit Details
There are nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, the commentator reminds us.
Countdown
The last moments is on.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. He is unlikely to mess with Red Bull's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky's internal discussion now: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is looking forward to the 2026 season, interviewing Adrian Newey about his promotion to the team team principal.
Starting Positions
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for the driver: after coming twentieth and final in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth-place finish in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of Q1 again on Friday. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he will start from the pit lane.
The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the experience for the next day," states 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 team championship but the team, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, will be hoping to seal second place during this event. Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind the leader.
Past Performance
Piastri won that day – as he managed the previous season, too. McLaren's Australian is attempting a third consecutive win.
Short Race Importance
Right, just over 20 minutes to go until the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as a preview of what is to come, instead of highly important in its own right, with only eight points available to the victor. However, the runner-up spot here was sufficient for Verstappen to become champion two years ago.
Max Verstappen claimed F1 world title after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
