Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Coverage
Opening Notes
Our correspondent is arriving soon to guide you through this day's sprint race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Real-Time Updates
Formation Lap Time
The formation lap has started.
Track Information
We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula 1, the commentator points out.
Countdown
The final countdown is underway.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Max Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. He is unlikely to interfere with the team's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky now: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to Aston Martin lead role.
Grid Details
There are only 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, leading to an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to advance of the first qualifying segment once more on Friday. Ferrari have as a result made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We take the experience for the next day," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the individual championship: The team have dominated the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, are aiming to seal second place during this event. George Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Previous Results
Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, as well. The driver from McLaren is going for a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Right, just over 20 minutes remaining until the sprint race begins. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as an indication of future events, instead of highly important in its own right, with only eight points awarded to the winner. However, second place here was enough for the driver to claim the title two years ago.
The driver wins the championship following Pérez crashes out of the short race.
