Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Updates
Opening Notes
The author is about to begin to cover today's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Real-Time Updates
Warm-Up Lap Time
The starting lap has started.
Track Information
We have nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, the commentator reminds us.
Final Moments
The last moments is on.
Racer Positions
One point in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to challenge Red Bull's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky speaking with Sky currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to the 2026 season, interviewing Adrian Newey about his stepping up to the team team principal.
Starting Positions
There are only 16 cars on the grid. It was another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of twentieth and final in the previous race, leading to an eighth position in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of Q1 once more on the previous day. Ferrari have as a result made changes to his car configuration and so he will start from the starting area.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We take the experience for the next day," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the individual championship: McLaren have dominated the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping to seal second place this weekend. Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Previous Results
Piastri was victorious then – as he did the previous season, too. McLaren's Australian is attempting a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Right, just over 20 minutes to go till the short race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as a preview of future events, rather than significant in its own right, with just eight championship points available to the winner. However, second place in this race was enough for the driver to claim the title two years ago.
Max Verstappen wins the championship following Pérez crashes out of the short race.
