Qatar's Short Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Real-Time Updates
Preamble
Our correspondent is about to begin to guide you through today's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Current Events
Formation Lap Time
The formation lap is underway.
Circuit Details
There are nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, David Croft points out.
Countdown
The countdown is on.
Racer Positions
One point in Max Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to mess with Red Bull's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky currently: the analyst is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to the 2026 season, speaking with the engineer about his stepping up to the team team principal.
Grid Details
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of twentieth and final in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment once more on the previous day. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he will start from the starting area.
The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the learning for the next day," says Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: McLaren have dominated the constructors' gong but the team, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, are aiming to secure the runner-up position this weekend. Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did last year, too. McLaren's Australian is attempting a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Right, just over twenty minutes to go till the short race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as an indication of future events, rather than highly important in its itself, with just eight championship points available to the winner. However, second place in this race was sufficient for Verstappen to become champion two years ago.
The driver claimed the championship after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.
