🔗 Share this article Qatar Short Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Real-Time Updates Opening Notes Our correspondent is arriving soon to take you through this day's sprint race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (6pm). Live Feed Starting Lap Period The formation lap has started. Track Information We have 19 laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, David Croft points out. Countdown The last moments is underway. Driver Situation One point in Verstappen's favour: his teammate Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to interfere with the team's lead driver. Interview Updates Sky's internal discussion now: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team. Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, speaking with Adrian Newey about his stepping up to the team lead role. Grid Details There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of twentieth and final in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth-place finish in the main race, he did not manage to make it out of Q1 once more on the previous day. Ferrari have consequently adjusted to his setup and so he will start from the starting area. The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position. Driver Comments "We'll use the experience for the next day," states Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect a lot of that. Team Standings It's not all about the drivers' title: McLaren have run away with the team championship but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, are aiming to seal second place during this event. Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader. Previous Results Piastri was victorious then – as he managed the previous season, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick. Short Race Importance Right, just over twenty minutes to go till the sprint race begins. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as a preview of what is to come, rather than highly important in its own right, with just eight championship points awarded to the victor. However, the runner-up spot in this race was enough for the driver to claim the title two years ago. Max Verstappen wins the championship following Pérez crashes out of the short race.