Qatar Short Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Real-Time Updates
Introduction
The author will be here shortly to take you through today's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Real-Time Updates
Formation Lap Period
The warm-up lap has begun.
Track Information
There are nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, David Croft points out.
Final Moments
The last moments is on.
Racer Positions
One point in Max Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to mess with the team's main man.
Media Conversations
Sky speaking with Sky now: Gary Neville is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, interviewing the engineer about his promotion to the team team principal.
Grid Details
Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of twentieth and final in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the main race, he failed to make it out of Q1 again on the previous day. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his setup and so he begins from the starting area.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We take the experience for the next day," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the individual championship: The team have run away with the team championship but the team, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Previous Results
Piastri won that day – as he managed the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a third consecutive win.
Short Race Importance
Right, approximately twenty minutes to go till the sprint race begins. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as an indication of what is to come, rather than highly important in its itself, with just eight championship points available to the victor. However, the runner-up spot in this race was enough for the driver to claim the title two years ago.
Max Verstappen wins the championship following Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
