Qatar's Sprint Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Real-Time Updates
Preamble
The author will be here shortly to cover today's short race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Current Events
Starting Lap Time
The formation lap has started.
Track Information
We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, David Croft points out.
Countdown
The final countdown is on.
Racer Positions
An advantage in Max Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. He is unlikely to interfere with the team's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky speaking with Sky now: Gary Neville 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.
Starting Positions
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for the driver: following his result of twentieth and final in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth position in the main race, he did not manage to advance of Q1 again on Friday. The team have as a result adjusted to his car configuration and so he will start from the pit lane.
The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the learning for the next day," says Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect a lot of that.
Constructors' Championship
It's not all about the individual championship: The team have dominated the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position during this event. Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Previous Results
Piastri won that day – as he did last year, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a third consecutive win.
Sprint Race Value
Right, approximately twenty minutes remaining until the short race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as an indication of future events, instead of highly important in its itself, with only eight points awarded to the winner. However, the runner-up spot here was sufficient for the driver to claim the title in a prior season.
The driver claimed F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of the short race.
