🔗 Share this article Qatar's Short Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Real-Time Updates Preamble Philip is arriving soon to take you through today's sprint race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (6pm). Real-Time Updates Formation Lap Time The warm-up lap has started. Circuit Details There are nineteen laps of the longest circuit in F1, the commentator reminds us. Countdown The final countdown has begun. Driver Situation An advantage in Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Tsunoda is ahead of him by one place. It's improbable to challenge the team's main man. Interview Updates Sky interviewing Sky currently: Gary Neville is with Mercedes. The analyst is jumping ahead to the 2026 season, interviewing Adrian Newey about his promotion to the team team principal. Starting Positions There are only sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: following his result of 20th and last in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth position in the main race, he did not manage to advance of the first qualifying segment again on the previous day. Ferrari have consequently adjusted to his setup and so he begins from the starting area. The team's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position. Driver Comments "We take the learning for tomorrow," states Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be plenty of learning. Team Standings The focus isn't solely on the individual championship: The team have dominated the team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping to seal second place this weekend. Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen. Previous Results Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, as well. The driver from McLaren is attempting a third consecutive win. Sprint Race Value Right, approximately twenty minutes to go until the short race begins. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as an indication of future events, rather than significant in its itself, with only eight points available to the victor. However, second place here was sufficient for the driver to claim the title two years ago. Max Verstappen claimed F1 world title following Pérez crashes out of the short race.