Qatar Short Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Live Updates
Introduction
Our correspondent is about to begin to take you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Current Events
Starting Lap Period
The warm-up lap is underway.
Circuit Details
We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, the commentator points out.
Final Moments
The last moments is underway.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. He is unlikely to challenge the team's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky speaking with Sky currently: the analyst is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, interviewing Adrian Newey about his promotion to the team lead role.
Starting Positions
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the main race, he failed to advance of the first qualifying segment once more on Friday. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his setup and so he will start from the starting area.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the learning for tomorrow," states Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the drivers' title: McLaren have dominated the team championship but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, are aiming to seal second place during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Past Performance
Piastri was victorious then – as he did last year, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Right, approximately 20 minutes remaining till the sprint race begins. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as a preview of future events, rather than highly important in its own right, with only eight points awarded to the victor. However, the runner-up spot here was sufficient for Verstappen to become champion in a prior season.
The driver wins F1 world title after his teammate's accident of the short race.
