Qatar Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Updates
Introduction
Our correspondent is arriving soon to cover today's short race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Live Feed
Formation Lap Period
The formation lap has started.
Track Information
We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in F1, the commentator reminds us.
Countdown
The final countdown is on.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. It's improbable to interfere with Red Bull's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky currently: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, speaking with the engineer about his promotion to the team lead role.
Starting Positions
There are only 16 cars on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of twentieth and final in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to advance of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. Ferrari have as a result made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the pit lane.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the learning for tomorrow," states Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect a lot of that.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: The team have dominated the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, are aiming to secure the runner-up position during this event. Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Past Performance
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he managed last year, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a third consecutive win.
Sprint Race Value
Right, approximately twenty minutes to go till the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as an indication of what is to come, rather than significant in its own right, with only eight points available to the victor. Mind you, the runner-up spot here was sufficient for the driver to become champion in a prior season.
The driver claimed the championship following his teammate's accident of the short race.
