🔗 Share this article Qatar Short Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Live Updates Opening Notes Philip is arriving soon to take you through today's sprint race (14:00 GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT). Live Feed Formation Lap Time The warm-up lap is underway. Circuit Details We have nineteen laps around the lengthiest track in Formula One, David Croft points out. Final Moments The last moments is on. Driver Situation One point in Max Verstappen's advantage: his fellow driver Yuki Tsunoda is in front of him by one place. He is unlikely to interfere with the team's main man. Interview Updates Sky interviewing Sky now: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team. Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing the engineer about his promotion to Aston Martin team principal. Starting Positions Just sixteen vehicles on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming 20th and last in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth-place finish in the grand prix, he failed to make it out of Q1 again on Friday. The team have consequently made changes to his setup and so he will start from the starting area. Aston Martin's Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all doing likewise. Driver Comments "We take the experience for the next day," says Hadjar, starting eleventh. Expect a lot of that. Constructors' Championship It's not all about the individual championship: McLaren have dominated the constructors' gong but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, are aiming to secure the runner-up position during this event. George Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader. Previous Results Oscar Piastri won that day – as he did the previous season, as well. McLaren's Australian is attempting a third consecutive win. Sprint Race Value Right, approximately 20 minutes to go till the short race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, its main importance is as a preview of future events, rather than significant in its own right, with only eight points available to the winner. However, the runner-up spot here was sufficient for Verstappen to become champion two years ago. Max Verstappen claimed F1 world title after Pérez crashes out of Qatar GP sprint race.