Qatar's Short Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Real-Time Updates
Introduction
The author will be here shortly to guide you through this day's short race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Real-Time Updates
Formation Lap Time
The starting lap has started.
Track Information
There are nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, David Croft informs us.
Countdown
The last moments is underway.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. He is unlikely to mess with the team's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky's internal discussion now: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
The analyst is looking forward to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his stepping up to the team team principal.
Starting Positions
Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for the driver: after coming 20th and last in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth-place finish in the main race, he did not manage to advance of Q1 again on Friday. The team have consequently adjusted to his car configuration and so he begins from the pit lane.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We take the experience for tomorrow," says Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the drivers' title: The team have dominated the constructors' gong but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, are aiming to secure the runner-up position this weekend. George Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Antonelli will start just behind the leader.
Past Performance
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, too. McLaren's Australian is attempting a third consecutive win.
Short Race Importance
Right, approximately twenty minutes remaining till the short race begins. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as an indication of future events, rather than highly important in its own right, with only eight points available to the victor. Mind you, the runner-up spot here was enough for the driver to claim the title in a prior season.
The driver claimed F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
