Qatar Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Real-Time Coverage
Opening Notes
Philip will be here shortly to cover this day's short race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (6pm).
Live Feed
Formation Lap Time
The formation lap has started.
Track Information
There are 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, David Croft points out.
Final Moments
The last moments has begun.
Racer Positions
One point in Max Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. He is unlikely to mess with Red Bull's main man.
Interview Updates
Sky's internal discussion now: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to the 2026 season, interviewing Adrian Newey about his promotion to Aston Martin lead role.
Starting Positions
There are only 16 cars on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: after coming 20th and last in Las Vegas, 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 as a result made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the starting area.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the learning for the next day," states Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect a lot of that.
Team Standings
It's not all about the drivers' title: The team have run away with the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, are aiming to seal second place during this event. Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he did the previous season, as well. McLaren's Australian is attempting a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Right, just over twenty minutes remaining till the short race gets under way. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as a preview of what is to come, rather than highly important in its itself, with just eight championship points available to the victor. Mind you, second place in this race was sufficient for the driver to claim the title in a prior season.
The driver claimed the championship after his teammate's accident of the short race.
