Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Real-Time Updates
Preamble
Philip will be here shortly to guide you through today's short race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Real-Time Updates
Formation Lap Period
The formation lap is underway.
Circuit Details
We have 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, the commentator points out.
Final Moments
The countdown is on.
Racer Positions
One point in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. He is unlikely to interfere with Red Bull's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky speaking with Sky currently: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
The analyst is looking forward to the 2026 season, speaking with Adrian Newey about his stepping up to Aston Martin lead role.
Grid Details
Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he did not manage to advance of Q1 again on Friday. Ferrari have as a result made changes to his setup and so he begins from the starting area.
The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the learning for the next day," states Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the drivers' title: McLaren have run away with the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position this weekend. Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Past Performance
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he managed last year, as well. McLaren's Australian is attempting a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, approximately twenty minutes remaining till the sprint race gets under way. Barring disaster, its main importance is as an indication of future events, instead of highly important in its itself, with only eight points awarded to the victor. Mind you, the runner-up spot in this race was sufficient for Verstappen to become champion in a prior season.
Max Verstappen wins F1 world title after his teammate's accident of the short race.
