Qatar's Short Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Real-Time Updates
Preamble
Philip will be here shortly to guide you through today's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Current Events
Warm-Up Lap Time
The warm-up lap has started.
Circuit Details
There are 19 laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, the commentator points out.
Final Moments
The countdown has begun.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Max Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. He is unlikely to interfere with Red Bull's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky now: the analyst is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to the 2026 season, interviewing the engineer about his promotion to the team lead role.
Grid Details
Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of 20th and last in the previous race, leading to an eighth position in the grand prix, he failed to make it out of Q1 once more on Friday. Ferrari have as a result adjusted to his setup and so he begins from the pit lane.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the learning for the next day," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the individual championship: The team have dominated the team championship but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, will be hoping to seal second place this weekend. George Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Past Performance
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he managed last year, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a third consecutive win.
Short Race Importance
Right, approximately 20 minutes remaining until the short race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as a preview of what is to come, rather than highly important in its own right, with only eight points awarded to the victor. Mind you, second place in this race was enough for Verstappen to become champion in a prior season.
Max Verstappen claimed F1 world title following his teammate's accident of the short race.