Qatar Short Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Live Coverage
Preamble
The author is about to begin to guide you through this day's short race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Live Feed
Warm-Up Lap Time
The warm-up lap has begun.
Circuit Details
We have nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, the commentator informs us.
Final Moments
The final countdown has begun.
Driver Situation
One point in Max Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. He is unlikely to mess with Red Bull's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky's internal discussion currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to 2026, speaking with Adrian Newey about his stepping up to the team team principal.
Grid Details
Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for the driver: following his result of twentieth and final in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth position in the grand prix, he did not manage to make it out of the first qualifying segment once more on Friday. Ferrari have as a result made changes to his car configuration and so he will start from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Racer Statements
"We take the experience for tomorrow," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be 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 their rivals, will be hoping to seal second place during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Past Performance
Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he did the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Right, just over twenty minutes to go until the sprint race gets under way. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as a preview of what is to come, instead of significant in its own right, with only eight points available to the winner. However, second place in this race was enough for the driver to become champion two years ago.
The driver claimed F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.
