Qatar's Short Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Live Coverage
Opening Notes
The author will be here shortly to guide you through today's short race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT).
Real-Time Updates
Starting Lap Time
The starting lap has started.
Track Information
There are 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, the commentator points out.
Countdown
The last moments is on.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. It's improbable to challenge the team's lead driver.
Interview Updates
Sky's internal discussion currently: the analyst is with Mercedes.
The analyst is looking forward to the 2026 season, speaking with the engineer about his stepping up to the team team principal.
Starting Positions
Just 16 cars on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for the driver: after coming 20th and last in the previous race, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to advance of Q1 again on Friday. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his setup and so he will start from the starting area.
The team's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Driver Comments
"We'll use the learning for the next day," says Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect a lot of that.
Team Standings
It's not all about the individual championship: McLaren have run away with the team championship but the team, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, are aiming to secure the runner-up position during this event. Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will start just behind Verstappen.
Past Performance
Piastri was victorious then – as he managed the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is attempting a hat-trick.
Sprint Race Value
Alright, approximately 20 minutes remaining until the sprint race begins. Barring disaster, it's greatest value is as an indication of future events, instead of highly important in its own right, with just eight championship points awarded to the victor. However, second place in this race was enough for the driver to claim the title in a prior season.
Max Verstappen wins the championship after his teammate's accident of the short race.
