Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Updates
Preamble
The author is about to begin to take you through today's sprint race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Live Feed
Warm-Up Lap Time
The starting lap has started.
Circuit Details
There are 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, David Croft informs us.
Final Moments
The countdown is on.
Racer Positions
One point in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. It's improbable to mess with the team's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky's internal discussion now: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
The analyst is looking forward to the 2026 season, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to the team team principal.
Starting Positions
There are only 16 cars on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he did not manage to advance of the first qualifying segment once more on Friday. Ferrari have as a result made changes to his setup and so he will start from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the learning for tomorrow," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be plenty of learning.
Team Standings
It's not all about the drivers' title: The team have dominated the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, are aiming to secure the runner-up position during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind the leader.
Past Performance
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he did the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is attempting a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, just over twenty minutes to go until the short race gets under way. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as a preview of future events, instead of significant in its own right, with only eight points available to the victor. However, second place here was sufficient for the driver to become champion in a prior season.
The driver wins the championship after his teammate's accident of the short race.
