Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Real-Time Updates
Preamble
Our correspondent will be here shortly to cover today's short race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Real-Time Updates
Formation Lap Time
The formation lap has begun.
Track Information
There are 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, David Croft informs us.
Countdown
The last moments is on.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. He is unlikely to mess with Red Bull's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky's internal discussion currently: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, speaking with the engineer about his promotion to the team lead role.
Starting Positions
There are only 16 cars on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for the driver: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. The team have consequently adjusted to his car configuration and so he will start from the pit lane.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We take the experience for tomorrow," says Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect a lot of that.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: The team have run away with the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, are aiming to secure the runner-up position this weekend. George Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Past Performance
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he managed last year, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, just over 20 minutes remaining until the short race begins. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as a preview of what is to come, rather than significant in its own right, with just eight championship points awarded to the victor. Mind you, second place here was sufficient for Verstappen to become champion two years ago.
Max Verstappen wins the championship after Pérez crashes out of the short race.
