Qatar's Short Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Live Updates
Opening Notes
The author is arriving soon to guide you through today's short race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm).
Live Feed
Warm-Up Lap Period
The warm-up lap has started.
Track Information
There are 19 laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, David Croft points out.
Countdown
The final countdown is underway.
Racer Positions
One point in Max Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. He is unlikely to challenge the team's lead driver.
Media Conversations
Sky speaking with Sky currently: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team.
Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing Adrian Newey about his promotion to the team team principal.
Grid Details
There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: after coming 20th and last in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of the first qualifying segment once more on the previous day. The team have as a result adjusted to his car configuration and so he will start from the pit lane.
Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position.
Racer Statements
"We'll use the experience for tomorrow," says Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect a lot of that.
Team Standings
The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: The team have run away with the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, are aiming to seal second place this weekend. George Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader.
Past Performance
Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick.
Short Race Importance
Alright, approximately twenty minutes remaining till the short race begins. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as an indication of what is to come, instead of highly important in its own right, with just eight championship points available to the victor. Mind you, second place in this race was enough for Verstappen to become champion in a prior season.
Max Verstappen wins the championship following Pérez crashes out of the short race.
