🔗 Share this article Qatar Short Race and Grand Prix Grid Setting: Live Updates Introduction Our correspondent is arriving soon to guide you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and grid-setting session (18:00 GMT). Live Feed Warm-Up Lap Period The formation lap has started. Track Information There are 19 laps around the lengthiest track in Formula 1, the commentator reminds us. Countdown The countdown is underway. Racer Positions An advantage in Max Verstappen's favour: his fellow driver Tsunoda is ahead of him by a single position. It's improbable to mess with Red Bull's lead driver. Interview Updates Sky's internal discussion currently: Gary Neville is at the Mercedes team. Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing Adrian Newey about his stepping up to Aston Martin lead role. Starting Positions Just 16 cars on the grid. It was another bad qualifying for Lewis Hamilton: after coming 20th and last in Las Vegas, leading to an eighth position in the main race, he failed to make it out of the first qualifying segment again on Friday. The team have consequently made changes to his car configuration and so he begins from the pit lane. Aston Martin's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto are all starting from the same position. Racer Statements "We'll use the learning 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 team championship but the team, with a forty-point advantage over Red Bull, will be hoping to secure the runner-up position this weekend. Russell can assist in this goal from second place, and Kimi Antonelli will begin immediately after the leader. Past Performance Oscar Piastri won that day – as he managed last year, as well. The driver from McLaren is going for a third consecutive win. Sprint Race Value Alright, just over twenty minutes to go until the short race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as an indication of what is to come, rather than significant in its own right, with only eight points available to the winner. Mind you, second place in this race was sufficient for Verstappen to become champion in a prior season. Max Verstappen claimed the championship following his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.