Qatar Short Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Live Updates
Introduction
Our correspondent is about to begin to guide you through this day's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Live Feed
Starting Lap Time
The formation lap is underway.
Circuit Details
There are 19 laps of the longest circuit in F1, David Croft points out.
Final Moments
The last moments is underway.
Racer Positions
One point in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to mess with Red Bull's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky's internal discussion currently: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, interviewing Adrian Newey about his promotion to Aston Martin lead role.
Starting Positions
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for the driver: following his result of 20th and last in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he failed to advance of Q1 once more on the previous day. The team have as a result adjusted to his car configuration and so he begins from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We take the learning for the next day," says Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the individual championship: The team have run away with the team championship but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position this weekend. George Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, just over 20 minutes to go until the short race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as a preview of what is to come, rather than highly important in its itself, with just eight championship points awarded to the winner. Mind you, second place in this race was enough for the driver to become champion two years ago.
The driver claimed F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
