Qatar Sprint Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Real-Time Coverage

Opening Notes

Our correspondent is arriving soon to take you through today's short race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).

Current Events

Warm-Up Lap Period

The warm-up lap has started.

Circuit Details

There are 19 laps of the longest circuit in F1, David Croft points out.

Final Moments

The countdown is on.

Driver Situation

An advantage in Verstappen's favour: his teammate Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to interfere with the team's lead driver.

Interview Updates

Sky interviewing Sky currently: the analyst is with Mercedes.

Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his promotion to Aston Martin team principal.

Starting Positions

There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for the driver: after coming 20th and last in the previous race, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on the previous day. Ferrari have consequently adjusted to his car configuration and so he will start from the pit lane.

Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.

Racer Statements

"We take the learning for the next day," states Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect a lot of that.

Constructors' Championship

The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: McLaren have run away with the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, will be hoping to seal second place this weekend. Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Antonelli will start just behind the leader.

Past Performance

Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did last year, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a third consecutive win.

Short Race Importance

Right, just over twenty minutes remaining till the short race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as an indication of future events, rather than significant in its own right, with only eight points awarded to the winner. However, second place in this race was sufficient for the driver to become champion in a prior season.

The driver claimed F1 world title following his teammate's accident of the short race.