🔗 Share this article Qatar's Short Race and Main Event Grid Setting: Real-Time Coverage Opening Notes Our correspondent is arriving soon to take you through this day's sprint race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (18:00 GMT). Current Events Warm-Up Lap Time The formation lap has begun. Track Information There are nineteen laps of the longest circuit in Formula 1, the commentator points out. Countdown The last moments is underway. Driver Situation One point in Verstappen's favour: his teammate Yuki Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. It's improbable to challenge the team's main man. Media Conversations Sky interviewing Sky currently: the analyst is at the Mercedes team. Karun Chandhok is looking forward to the 2026 season, interviewing Adrian Newey about his promotion to Aston Martin lead role. Grid Details Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for Lewis Hamilton: after coming 20th and last in Las Vegas, resulting in an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. The team have consequently made changes to his setup and so he will start from the starting area. The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine pair of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise. Driver Comments "We'll use the experience for the next day," says Isack Hadjar, starting eleventh. There will be a lot of that. Team Standings It's not all about the individual championship: The team have run away with the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a 40-point lead over their rivals, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position this weekend. Russell can help them achieve that from second place, and Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader. Previous Results Oscar Piastri was victorious then – as he did the previous season, too. McLaren's Australian is going for a third consecutive win. Short Race Importance Alright, just over 20 minutes remaining till the short race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as an indication of future events, rather than highly important in its itself, with only eight points available to the winner. Mind you, second place here was sufficient for Verstappen to become champion two years ago. The driver wins F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of the short race.