Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Updates
Preamble
Our correspondent will be here shortly to guide you through this day's sprint race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Live Feed
Warm-Up Lap Time
The formation lap has begun.
Circuit Details
We have 19 laps around the lengthiest track in Formula 1, the commentator informs us.
Final Moments
The final countdown has begun.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Max Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. It's improbable to mess with Red Bull's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky currently: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing Adrian Newey about his stepping up to the team lead role.
Grid Details
Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of 20th and last in the previous race, leading to an eighth position in the grand prix, he failed to advance of the first qualifying segment once more on Friday. The team have as a result made changes to his setup and so he will start from the pit lane.
The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We take the learning for the next day," states Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect plenty of learning.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: McLaren have run away with the constructors' gong but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, are aiming to seal second place during this event. Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Antonelli will start just behind the leader.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did last year, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Right, just over twenty minutes to go till the sprint race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as an indication of future events, rather than highly important in its itself, with only eight points available to the victor. However, second place here was sufficient for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season.
Max Verstappen claimed F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of the short race.
