Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Real-Time Coverage
Introduction
Our correspondent will be here shortly to guide you through today's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT).
Current Events
Warm-Up Lap Period
The starting lap has begun.
Circuit Details
There are nineteen laps of the longest circuit in F1, David Croft informs us.
Final Moments
The countdown is on.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. It's improbable to mess with the team's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky interviewing Sky currently: the analyst is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, speaking with Adrian Newey about his stepping up to Aston Martin 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 position in the grand prix, he did not manage to advance of Q1 once more on Friday. The team have consequently made changes to his setup and so he begins from the starting area.
The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We take the experience for tomorrow," says Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: The team have dominated the constructors' gong but the team, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, are aiming to secure the runner-up position this weekend. George Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Antonelli will start just behind the leader.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he did the previous season, as well. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, just over 20 minutes remaining until the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as a preview of future events, rather than significant in its itself, with just eight championship points available to the winner. Mind you, second place here was sufficient for Verstappen to become champion in a prior season.
Max Verstappen claimed the championship after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
