Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Real-Time Coverage
Preamble
Philip will be here shortly to guide you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Live Feed
Starting Lap Time
The formation lap has begun.
Circuit Details
We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, David Croft points out.
Final Moments
The last moments 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. He is unlikely to challenge Red Bull's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky speaking with Sky now: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, speaking with the engineer about his stepping up to Aston Martin team principal.
Starting Positions
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of 20th and last in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the main race, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on the previous day. The team have as a result adjusted to his setup and so he begins from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We take the experience for tomorrow," states Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect a lot of that.
Team Standings
It's not all about the individual championship: McLaren have run away with the constructors' gong but the team, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Previous Results
Piastri won that day – as he did last year, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Right, approximately 20 minutes to go until the short race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as a preview of what is to come, rather than significant in its own right, with only eight points awarded to the winner. However, second place here was sufficient for the driver to claim the title two years ago.
Max Verstappen wins F1 world title following Pérez crashes out of the short race.
