Qatar's Short Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Real-Time Updates
Opening Notes
Philip will be here shortly to guide you through this day's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Live Feed
Warm-Up Lap Period
The formation lap is underway.
Circuit Details
We have 19 laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, David Croft informs us.
Countdown
The last moments is underway.
Racer Positions
One point in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. He is unlikely to mess with the team's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky speaking with Sky now: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to Aston Martin team principal.
Grid Details
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: after coming 20th and last in the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he failed to make it out of Q1 once more on Friday. The team have as a result made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Racer Statements
"We take the learning for tomorrow," states Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect plenty of learning.
Team Standings
It's not all about the individual championship: The team 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 begin immediately after the leader.
Past Performance
Piastri won that day – as he managed the previous season, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a third consecutive win.
Sprint Race Value
Right, just over twenty minutes remaining until the short race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as a preview of what is to come, rather than highly important in its own right, with only eight points available to the winner. Mind you, second place in this race was enough for the driver to become champion two years ago.
The driver claimed the championship after his teammate's accident of the short race.
