🔗 Share this article Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Real-Time Updates Introduction Our correspondent will be here shortly to take you through today's short race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (6pm). Current Events Starting Lap Time The starting lap has started. Track Information There are nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, David Croft points out. Final Moments The countdown has begun. Driver Situation One point in Max Verstappen's advantage: his teammate Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. It's improbable to challenge Red Bull's main man. Interview Updates Sky speaking with Sky currently: Gary Neville is with Mercedes. The analyst is looking forward to 2026, speaking with the engineer about his promotion to Aston Martin lead role. Grid Details Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed another bad qualifying for the driver: after coming twentieth and final in the previous race, leading to an eighth position in the grand prix, he failed to advance of the first qualifying segment again on the previous day. The team have as a result adjusted to his setup and so he will start from the pit lane. Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all doing likewise. Driver Comments "We'll use the learning for tomorrow," states Isack Hadjar, 11th on the grid. There will be a lot of that. Team Standings It's not all about the drivers' title: The team have dominated the constructors' gong but the team, with a 40-point lead over Red Bull, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position this weekend. George Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader. Previous Results Piastri won that day – as he did last year, as well. McLaren's Australian is attempting a third consecutive win. Sprint Race Value Alright, approximately 20 minutes remaining until the sprint race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value 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 winner. However, the runner-up spot in this race was enough for the driver to become champion two years ago. Max Verstappen claimed F1 world title after his teammate's accident of the short race.