Qatar's Sprint Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Live Coverage
Introduction
The author will be here shortly to cover today's short race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Real-Time Updates
Formation Lap Period
The warm-up lap has begun.
Circuit Details
There are nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula One, the commentator informs us.
Final Moments
The last moments is on.
Driver Situation
An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. He is unlikely to challenge Red Bull's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky interviewing Sky currently: the analyst is with Mercedes.
Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his promotion to the team lead role.
Grid Details
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for the driver: after coming 20th and last in the previous race, leading to an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment once more on Friday. The team have consequently made changes to his setup and so he will start from the pit lane.
The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the experience for tomorrow," states Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect plenty of learning.
Constructors' Championship
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: The team have run away with the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, will be hoping to seal second place during this event. George Russell can help them achieve that from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen.
Previous Results
Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did last year, as well. The driver from McLaren is going for a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Right, just over twenty minutes remaining until the short race begins. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as a preview of what is to come, instead of significant in its itself, with just eight championship points available to the victor. However, the runner-up spot here was enough for Verstappen to claim the title in a prior season.
Max Verstappen claimed the championship after Pérez crashes out of the short race.
