🔗 Share this article Qatar's Short Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Live Updates Opening Notes Our correspondent is arriving soon to guide you through this day's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and qualifying (6pm). Current Events Formation Lap Time The starting lap is underway. Circuit Details We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in F1, the commentator points out. Final Moments The final countdown has begun. Racer Positions An advantage in Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. He is unlikely to interfere with the team's main man. Media Conversations Sky interviewing Sky now: the analyst is with Mercedes. Karun Chandhok is looking forward to 2026, speaking with Adrian Newey about his promotion to Aston Martin lead role. Grid Details Just 16 cars on the grid. This followed 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 failed to make it out of Q1 once more on the previous day. Ferrari have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the starting area. The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise. Driver Comments "We take the learning for tomorrow," says Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect plenty of learning. Team Standings It's not all about the drivers' title: The team have dominated the team championship but the team, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, are aiming to seal second place this weekend. George 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 last year, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick. Short Race Importance Alright, approximately 20 minutes to go till the short race begins. Barring disaster, its main importance is as an indication of future events, rather than significant in its own right, with only eight points available to the winner. However, second place here was enough for the driver to claim the title in a prior season. The driver claimed F1 world title following Pérez crashes out of the short race.