Qatar Short Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Real-Time Updates
Preamble
Our correspondent is about to begin to guide you through today's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Live Feed
Starting Lap Time
The starting lap has started.
Track Information
There are 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, the commentator informs us.
Final Moments
The last moments has begun.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. He is unlikely to interfere with Red Bull's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky's internal discussion currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to 2026, speaking with the engineer about his stepping up to Aston Martin team principal.
Starting Positions
There are only 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he did not manage to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on the previous day. Ferrari 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 Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the experience for the next day," states Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: The team have dominated the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, are aiming to secure the runner-up position this weekend. George Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Past Performance
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did last year, as well. McLaren's Australian is attempting a third consecutive win.
Short Race Importance
Alright, approximately 20 minutes remaining until the short race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as a preview of future events, rather than significant in its own right, with just eight championship points awarded to the victor. However, second place in this race was enough for Verstappen to claim the title two years ago.
The driver wins F1 world title after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
