🔗 Share this article Qatar's Short Race and Grand Prix Qualifying: Live Updates Opening Notes The author is arriving soon to guide you through this day's short race (2pm GMT) and qualifying (6pm). Current Events Starting Lap Period The formation lap has begun. Circuit Details There are 19 laps around the lengthiest track in F1, David Croft points out. Countdown The last moments has begun. Racer Positions One point in Verstappen's favour: his teammate Tsunoda is in front of him by a single position. He is unlikely to mess with Red Bull's lead driver. Interview Updates Sky speaking with Sky currently: the analyst is with Mercedes. Karun Chandhok is jumping ahead to 2026, interviewing Adrian Newey about his stepping up to the team team principal. Starting Positions There are only 16 cars on the grid. This followed another poor grid-setting session for the driver: after coming 20th and last in the previous race, resulting in an eighth position in the grand prix, he did not manage to make it out of Q1 again on the previous day. The team have consequently made changes to his setup and so he begins from the pit lane. The team's Lance Stroll and the Alpine duo of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto are all starting from the same position. Driver Comments "We take the experience for the next day," says Hadjar, 11th on the grid. Expect a lot of that. Team Standings The focus isn't solely on the drivers' title: The team have run away with the team championship but Mercedes, with a forty-point advantage over their rivals, will be hoping to seal second place this weekend. Russell can assist in this goal from the front row, and Antonelli will begin immediately after Verstappen. Previous Results Piastri was victorious then – as he did the previous season, as well. McLaren's Australian is going for a hat-trick. Sprint Race Value Right, approximately twenty minutes remaining till the short race gets under way. Unless something goes wrong, it's greatest value is as an indication of future events, rather than significant in its own right, with only eight points available to the winner. Mind you, the runner-up spot here was enough for the driver to claim the title two years ago. Max Verstappen wins F1 world title after his teammate's accident of Qatar GP sprint race.