🔗 Share this article Qatar Short Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Live Updates Preamble The author will be here shortly to guide you through this day's short race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (6pm). Live Feed Formation Lap Period The formation lap has begun. Circuit Details There are 19 laps of the longest circuit in F1, the commentator informs us. Final Moments The countdown is on. Driver Situation An advantage in Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to mess with the team's lead driver. Interview Updates Sky's internal discussion now: Gary Neville is with Mercedes. The analyst is looking forward to 2026, speaking with Adrian Newey about his stepping up to Aston Martin team principal. Starting Positions There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for the driver: following his result of 20th and last in the previous race, leading to an eighth-place finish in the main race, he failed to make it out of Q1 again on the previous day. The team have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the starting area. The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise. Racer Statements "We take the experience for the next day," states Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be a lot of that. Constructors' Championship It's not all about the individual championship: McLaren have dominated the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage 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 Verstappen. Previous Results Oscar Piastri won that day – as he managed the previous season, too. The driver from McLaren is going for a hat-trick. Sprint Race Value Alright, just over 20 minutes remaining till the short race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as a preview of future events, rather than highly important in its itself, with only eight points available to the winner. Mind you, the runner-up spot here was sufficient for Verstappen to become champion in a prior season. The driver wins the championship following his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.