Qatar Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Real-Time Coverage

Opening Notes

The author will be here shortly to cover today's short race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (6pm).

Current Events

Formation Lap Period

The warm-up lap has begun.

Track Information

We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in F1, the commentator points out.

Countdown

The final countdown has begun.

Driver Situation

An advantage in Max Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. He is unlikely to challenge Red Bull's main man.

Media Conversations

Sky speaking with Sky currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.

The analyst is looking forward to 2026, interviewing Adrian Newey about his promotion to the team team principal.

Grid Details

There are only 16 cars on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of 20th and last in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to advance of Q1 once more on Friday. The team have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he will start from the starting area.

Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.

Driver Comments

"We'll use the learning for tomorrow," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be plenty of learning.

Constructors' Championship

It's not all about the drivers' title: The team have run away with the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, are aiming to seal second place this weekend. George Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.

Previous Results

Piastri won that day – as he managed the previous season, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.

Sprint Race Value

Right, just over 20 minutes remaining 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 significant in its own right, with just eight championship points available to the winner. However, second place here was enough for the driver to claim the title two years ago.

Max Verstappen claimed F1 world title following his teammate's accident of the short race.